Dragon Tails
by Lady Kellyn
Summary: Alys is plagued by horrible nightmares that won't go away. Meanwhile, Selendrile is planning to abandon her...at least for the winter. But little do they know that the town of Quinn is not what it seems... Alys/Selendrile Dragon's Bait, Vivian Vande Velde
1. Chapter 1: A forced Nap & Hibernation

_Disclaimer: I do not own Alys or Selendrile, as much as I wished I owned the latter. They are the property of Vivian Vande Velde._

Dragon Tails

Chapter 1: A forced Nap

_The cackle echoed a hundredfold in the vast, empty cave. The wrinkled face of the old crone filled Alys's vision, the expression on the old witch's face nothing short of terrifying. The witch's piercing gaze cut right through Alys, sending shivers of fear down her spine. "Leave me alone!" cried Alys desperately, hiding her face behind her arms to shield herself from the witch's eyes. "You still owe me a soul," croaked the witch, her creaky old voice menacing. Alys tried to defend herself, tried to convince the old witch of the glen that Atherton had never sold his soul to the devil, but the old woman waved off her protests. "You must pay your debt before it's too late…"_

Alys awoke with a start, breathing heavily and realizing that she was drenched in sweat. She sat up and pulled the covers off, thinking of going for a walk to clear her chaotic thoughts. The cool night air swept over her, making her shiver. She and Selendrile had made their camp near a small forest two days ago. It was warm during the day, but the season was slowly turning to fall, and the nights were freezing.

She glanced at the place where Selendrile was peacefully slumbering in his human form, several feet away . . . and her heart nearly stopped. Selendrile was not sleeping, but staring at her so intensely that his eyes seemed to be burning. The expression on his face was unreadable. Alys's heart was racing faster than she would have thought possible—even after several months of living with Selendrile, she still couldn't quite get used to him.

"Don't _do _that," she gasped. Selendrile merely continued to stare at her for a minute or so until Alys began to feel self-conscious and pulled the blanket back over her, and looked away.

"You were having one of your nightmares again," came Selendrile's voice, completely emotionless. Startled, her head snapped up, and she tried to tell from Selendrile's bland expression what he was thinking. "How did you know I've been having dreams?" she asked, studying him carefully. His face betrayed nothing, so she quickly gave up, turning her gaze to the glowing embers of their dying fire.

Selendrile shrugged, but his amethyst eyes seemed to darken for a moment. She could tell, although the firelight and the moon barely gave off enough light for her to see the color of her blanket.

It was true that she'd been having similar nightmares for weeks now. Her eyes had dark shadows under them from lack of sleep, and though she tried to hide it, her sleepless nights were taking their toll.

She'd been living with Selendrile for several months now, always on the move, never staying in one place for more than a week. Sometimes they stayed in inns, sometimes in abandoned farmhouses, and very often they simply camped out in the open, with Selendrile leaving Alys alone for short periods of time to get her food. Her sleep schedule was strange now, for she had become accustomed to going to sleep in the wee hours of the morning, when it was still dark, and waking up sometime during the afternoon. She had adjusted her sleeping to Selendrile, who could only turn into a human under the cover of night. At the beginning of their journey together, she'd tried to continue sleeping at her normal times, but this had proved frustrating and pointless as that meant she could only talk to Selendrile for short periods of time every day. And since he was quite often the only company she had, she had become so lonely that she had no choice but to sleep through part of the day.

Suddenly, Alys realized something. It was too dark to be anytime after she'd gone to bed—the sky had already been lightening when she'd closed her eyes. She turned to Selendrile, slightly confused. "Selendrile," she said carefully, annunciating each syllable, "How long have I been sleeping?"

Selendrile answered without hesitating. "About a day," he said.

Without realizing it, Alys had jumped up. "A _day!_ You mean I was out for the rest of last night and all of today!" she exclaimed, too surprised to be angry . . . yet. How had she been able to sleep for more than twelve hours when she'd barely been managing to get a few hours of sleep for the past few weeks? She eyed Selendrile warily, suddenly suspicious. But before she could open her mouth to say anything, Selendrile cut her off. "I noticed that you seemed weak, even for a human, during the past few weeks, so I put herbs in your tea to make you sleep," he said simply, as if describing the weather.

Alys was so filled with fury that she was speechless. She'd missed an entire _day _because Selendrile had _drugged _her? And then there was also the fact that he'd been staring at her for God-knows-how-long. Although that was not unusual, Alys thought wryly. It was not uncommon for her to wake up and nearly have a stroke because she caught him staring at her. She'd learned to simply ignore him and pretend her blood wasn't being pumped at about fifteen times its usual speed, but the dragonish grin on his face always gave away that he knew.

Alys opened her mouth to yell at Selendrile for drugging her drink but then shut it before she'd uttered a sound. She suddenly realized that Selendrile must have done it because he'd been worried about her. _Wait a minute—_worried _about me? _she thought, utterly bewildered. She hadn't been aware that Selendrile liked her very much at all, let alone that he cared enough about her to notice the dark circles under her eyes and know instinctively that they came from nightmares. She felt strangely touched.

Selendrile was still staring at her, his expression blank as ever. But there was a touch of amusement in his voice as he said, "What, no yelling at me because I drugged you? No 'Selendrile, why did you do that?'"

Now the amusement was definitely showing in those violet eyes of his. Alys didn't even roll her eyes. "No, actually I wanted to say thank you," she said thoughtfully, smiling to herself as she noticed the confusion cloud his expression for a moment before returning to its blank state. She did enjoy getting a reaction out of him, and the fact that he'd been practicing letting human emotions show on his face to better disguise himself in public made her job much easier. "That was the best I've slept in weeks."

A shadow passed over his eyes, but then his face returned to being completely expressionless. "I know," he said shortly.

Alys sighed. This seemed to be all she was going to get out of him, for he turned slightly away from her to stare at the dying remains of the fire. Selendrile never let on much about what he was thinking, and she had gotten used to just not asking. He also tended to show his emotions more in the presence of other humans—at least, his expression changed more frequently than it did around Alys, but she was fairly certain that his change of expression was usually just a façade.

She sighed again, mentally berating herself for giving Selendrile an excuse to tease

her mercilessly about this particular habit, and decided to go for a walk after all. After having slept through an entire day, she was also feeling a strong urge to use the bathroom. She was also quite thirsty, but she would take care of that later.

Selendrile didn't seem to notice it when she walked directly past him, so it was rather a shock when she heard him say, "Don't go too far away from camp, or I'll have to go and look for you again." She couldn't help rolling her eyes. Selendrile was still holding the _one _time she'd gotten lost over her head. She'd wandered around in that dense green forest for hours, until sunset, in fact, calling his name all the while. He'd finally found her sitting in a clearing and trying not to cry. He had shaken with laughter all the way home.

As she strolled along the edge of the trees, Alys brooded about her dream. It was the same dream that she'd been having over and over again for weeks. The face of the old witch of the glen was permanently imprinted in her memory. But why was she haunting Alys's dreams? Alys had barely spoken a word to the woman, and even then the old witch had offered her assistance…right? She had no idea what the old witch's intentions were, but there was something not quite right about her. And why did she keep saying the same thing? _"You owe me a soul…"_ Alys though back to that horrible night when former inquisitor Atherton informed Alys that she was to buy back his soul from the old witch. She knew that it was impossible to buy or sell one's soul, and yet Atherton had died thinking he'd done just that.

Perhaps that was what made the difference. Perhaps Alys should have done something so Atherton's spirit could be at peace—but what could she have done? Made sure that he'd gotten a better burial? She and Gower had piled rocks on top of the body, not having had the tools or the time to dig a proper grave. Or should she have visited the witch in the glen to ask her what the problem was? Alys shuddered at the thought of the old crone, especially after having had such terrifying dreams about her.

After what felt like half an hour, she began to feel the night's chill, and decided to return to the camp. And perhaps speak to Selendrile while he could still be a human.

It took her several minutes to retrace her steps back to where she had left Selendrile and the fire. Selendrile must have gotten up to get more logs, for the fire was no longer reduced to ashes. But one thing hadn't changed—Selendrile was still gazing blankly into the flames.

"You're back," he said tonelessly, causing Alys to jump. She was coming up to him from behind, and she hadn't considered the possibility that he knew she was there. Then again, she thought, he was a dragon. His senses were much more honed than hers. And after months of living with him, she would have expected herself to know this by now.

For the first time, Alys noticed that Selendrile had been rather moody lately. The stretches of time he took each day to hunt became longer and longer, and he said very little when in human form. Alys realized that she missed the Selendrile she had spent the summer months with, who had at least smiled occasionally and actually been a pleasant conversational partner.

"I have something to tell you," he added in the same morose voice. Alys stared at him, surprised. But he took a long pause before he spoke again, so she had time to circle around him and cuddle up under the blankets of her makeshift bed. "I've found you a nice place to stay for the winter."

The fact that Selendrile had said "you" and not "us" did not escape Alys. She looked at him, astonished and concerned. Was he deciding to leave her? Was he tired of his human companion? She felt a tremor pass through her. She had lost everyone and everything that she had once held dear. Selendrile was the only living soul she even remotely liked at the moment, and he was going to leave her. A tear trickled down her face at the very thought, but she was determined not to let him see.

"You'll be staying the winter in an inn in Quinn," he continued, not taking his eyes of the crackling flames.

"And what about you?" asked Alys. The shakiness in her own voice surprised her.

"I will be elsewhere," he said, his expression never changing from that frustrating mask of impassiveness. Alys was torn between the wish to strangle him or to hug him. She decided to do neither, and instead hugged her knees to her chest. She felt alone, abandoned. "Why can't I stay with you?" she said, trying desperately not to cry.

"Because I will be hibernating for most of the winter."

This answer startled Alys so much that most of her sadness left her. "You'll be what?" she asked incredulously.

Selendrile turned to look at Alys for the first time in nearly an hour. There was a slight hint of annoyance in his eyes. "Hibernating. That means sleeping through the winter."

Alys glared at him, annoyed. "I know what it means," she muttered. "I just didn't realize that _dragons…_" she trailed off. Suddenly, she had to fight the urge to burst out laughing. She could just picture Selendrile in his dragon form, completely bloated from stocking up on food for the winter, snoring in some cave. She bit her lip to try to control herself, but nevertheless, a small giggle escaped her. Though she knew that Selendrile never snored, the image that had formed itself in her mind was hilarious.

"What's so funny?" asked Selendrile, narrowing his eyes. Alys merely shook her head and shut her mouth as tightly as she could, eyes watering.

But Selendrile was not in the mood to put up with her. He emitted a low growl that sounded distinctly dragonish, and glared at her. "So you think it's funny that I have to leave you in some inn where I can't keep an eye on you and you'll get into all kinds of trouble?" he snarled. "You can barely keep yourself alive if I'm not around, and you find this funny?"

The desire to laugh had vanished, and irritation at Selendrile replaced it. "That's not true! I can get on just fine without you!" she retorted.

Selendrile snorted. Alys knew he was thinking of the time that he'd told her he was tired of constantly having to go out and find food to nourish her frail human body. This had caused Alys to storm off into the nearby forest, where she had walked straight into a bear den and nearly gotten herself killed. She'd fled from the little cave, only to step right into a hornet's nest. She shuddered at the memory of those horrible buzzing creatures swarming around her and piercing her skin with their stings. Her face and arms had swollen to twice their thickness, and it had taken a week for the swelling to go down.

As if reading her mind, Selendrile added, "And don't forget the time you fell in the lake before I taught you how to swim, and the time you fell off a cliff and I had to catch you in midair, and the time—"

"I get it, I get it," Alys interrupted him, cheeks burning. "I have a lot of accidents."

Selendrile looked almost amused by now, which, Alys supposed, was an improvement in some ways. Not, of course, good in all ways, as she would now have to put up with that smug smile.

"I saved your life too, you know," she said defensively.

"Once."

"Well, yes, but you're a dragon," said Alys, slightly stung at his dismissal of her having saved his life. "You're much harder to save."

To her astonishment, a half-smile formed on Selendrile's face. He was studying her carefully again—searching for what, Alys had no idea.

"Tomorrow afternoon, I'm going to fly you the rest of the way to Quinn. Be ready," he said, turning away and ending the discussion. But she could see that he was smiling that dragon-smile of his, the one that never ceased to puzzle her.

Alys lay back onto the ground, pulling her blankets over her. A few stars were visible on the inky sky, and the moon was a silver crescent.

"Good night, Selendrile," she murmured, her eyelids already drooping. For some reason, though she had just woken up after sleeping for a whole day, she felt exhausted. And she had no idea what tomorrow would bring.

_Thank you for reading. Now please review!!_


	2. Chapter 2: Awakenings

Chapter 2: Awakenings

Chapter 2: Awakenings

Alys was fast asleep when the sound of wind roaring past her ears dragged her into a half-stupor. But she went back to sleep again within seconds, and only vaguely registered the thick, razor-sharp claw that was stroking her side. Someone gently shook her, but even that she barely felt, merely groaning in her sleep and turning over, away from whoever was trying to wake her. The shaking subsided, and Alys was peacefully slumbering when. . .

_SPLASH._

Alys was wide-awake within seconds after having a bucket of water dumped on her. "SELENDRILE!" she yelled, furious at having been awakened in this manner. "What on _earth_ was that for!" She blinked as bright afternoon sunlight hit her. But the dragon-youth was nowhere to be seen.

She got up to go search her bags for something dry to wear, grumbling to herself the entire time. "Selendrile is _so _in for it," she muttered.

By the time she'd finished dressing, she once again felt wind rushing past. She glanced up and saw Selendrile, in his dragon form, circling overhead. He landed with a soft _thump, _gouging his claws deeply into the soft earth.

Alys shot him a fierce glare, telling him off for waking her the way he had.

"Oh, stop looking so smug," she muttered, glaring at Selendrile, who was obviously laughing at her. She could tell though he didn't make a sound, nor even opened his mouth. But it was written all over his dragon face, and his eyes were grinning.

Alys rolled her eyes and gathered up the sack that held her few belongings—a change of clothes, some food, and a few silver and copper coins that Selendrile had given her—and went over to where Selendrile was patiently waiting for her. Selendrile carefully wrapped his claws around her waist and then took off into the air.

This was the most unpleasant part. The flying itself was wonderful, but taking off was always a nightmare. To see the ground dropping away at an alarming rate was more than she could handle. She closed her eyes for a minute or so, feeling the rush of wind whip through her hair. She relished the feeling of being rested for the first time in weeks.

Selendrile had suggested once, several months ago, that Alys ride on his back rather than be carried in his claws. She had tried it, but found that she was jostled horribly when he moved, as well as nearly falling to her death after losing her balance. Luckily, Selendrile had swooped in and caught her at the last moment.

After a minute, Alys tentatively opened her eyes. They were miles above the ground now, and the fields, brown after the harvest, looked much smaller from up here. The occasional farmhouse looked like a little plaything, and horses and people were almost impossible to make out. She smiled down at the world before her, gloating about the fact that she could see something which probably no other human had. Or at least if they had seen it, they didn't live to tell about it.

"Selendrile, how long will this trip take?" she shouted up at him over the roar of the wind, forgetting that he couldn't talk to her while in his dragon form. Selendrile ignored her and merely increased his speed, causing Alys to cry out in shock.

In fact, the flight only took about two hours, by which time the sun had sunk down low on the horizon. There was probably about an hour left before the sun would vanish behind the hills, when Alys knew that she and Selendrile would walk into the town of Quinn and he would leave her.

Selendrile dumped her unceremoniously onto a haystack near a farmhouse, and then took off once more into the distance. Alys could only shake her head at him and wonder what on earth he was doing.

She sighed, contemplating the long, cold winter that loomed before her. She would miss Selendrile's company, annoying though her dragon companion could be, for she had grown rather fond of him. She could safely say that they were friends, although there was a part of her that ached whenever she thought about it. "Selendrile," she murmured, closing her eyes and seeing his amethyst eyes beneath her.

Alys must have dozed off at some point, for she awoke when soft hands were shaking her. "S-Selendrile?" she mumbled groggily. She yawned and rubbed the sleep out of her eyes.

Selendrile stood before her as a human, dressed in what would pass for a rich peasant's attire. His long, blond hair was tied back in a ponytail that reached down to his face.

"You are to be my cousin for the winter," he said by way of greeting. His expression was unreadable, as usual.

Alys couldn't help noticing that his hands were resting on hers, but Selendrile made no attempt to remove them. Instead, he pulled her out of the haystack and onto her feet. Finally, he let her go, and she was able to brush the straw off her dress and out of her hair and wonder what a sight she must look. She ran a finger ruefully through her tangled tresses, wincing as she met with resistance. Selendrile, a faint grin on his face, handed her a comb.

When Alys was finished making herself look halfway presentable, he linked arms with her, the way a cousin might, and began to lead her to the little cluster of houses that made up the town of Quinn. There wasn't much to see—the entrance was simple, with only a small wooden guard tower that contained a slumbering guard to defend the town.

The houses weren't aligned in any particular order, causing some of the storefronts to stick out while others were hidden in shadow. Few people were out on the streets, and many houses' shutters were drawn. This puzzled Alys slightly—it seemed a bit early to go to bed, even for the people of a small town.

They stopped in front of a house that looked much the same as the others, except for the fact that it had a sign with the words "The Dragon's Claw Inn" hanging precariously over the door. Alys had no time to wonder at this unusual name, for Selendrile strode right up to the door and knocked loudly. The town was so still that the knock echoed in the silence, the sound lingering even after Selendrile lowered his hand.

About a minute later, a girl about Alys's age opened the door for them. She started to speak, but then froze. She was gaping, mouth open, at Selendrile, a pink flush creeping into her cheeks. Alys rolled her eyes. _Not this again_, she thought, inwardly groaning.

"W-would you like me to take you to Mother Margaret?" stammered the girl, ignoring Alys and directing her question at Selendrile instead.

"Yes, we would," said Alys before Selendrile could answer. The girl glanced at her as if finally noticing she was there, and a frown darkened her expression for a moment. But it vanished so fast that Alys couldn't even be sure she had seen it, and was replaced by a charming smile.

"Follow me then," she said, smiling winningly; Alys rolled her eyes.

Alys caught a glimpse of a wooden staircase to the right before the girl led them along a corridor on the left. The walls were bare except for the occasional window with a small candle on the ledge. The corridor ended abruptly when they reached a large wooden door, which the girl opened hastily. The room beyond it appeared to be a sort of bar room, tables scattered unevenly around. It was nearly empty, with only a few people sitting at the bar or around the tables. A burly bartender was polishing a glass with a dishrag.

Every single eye in the room was fixed on the newcomers, and suddenly the room became eerily still. Two men playing cards dropped them on the table in astonishment, and the bartender's hand froze in mid-polish. Alys swallowed the feeling of panic at the hostile stares.

A door beyond the bar brought the group into a small sitting room, where a fire crackled merrily in the hearth. Two figures were seated on a sofa near the fire. One of them, a woman who seemed to be getting on in years, was stitching a quilt. The other, a young man who looked older than Alys, had been chatting animatedly with the woman (or at least chatting _to _her, as she hadn't been saying very much), but stopped at the sight of Alys and Selendrile. To Alys's relief, they were both smiling.

"Some newcomers to see you, Mother Margaret," the girl announced, sneaking a glance at Selendrile. The older woman nodded and smiled at Alys and Selendrile, saying, "That will be all, thank you, Mae." Mae's face fell at her words—almost comically, Alys thought—but she quickly composed herself. Turning to Selendrile, she said hopefully, "Will you be needing anything, sir?" The dragon-youth shook his head without even glancing at her.

His eyes seemed to be fixed on the young man, and the expression on his face was rather strange.

The girl lingered for another moment or so, obviously torn between wanting to remain near Selendrile and not overstaying her welcome. Eventually she left, glaring at Alys on the way out.

The young man jumped up and practically ran over to Alys and Selendrile, a huge smile lighting up his features. He had curly brown hair, and his brown eyes sparkled merrily as he greeted them. "Good evening," he said, smiling. "I'm Renn, and this is my mother. You can call her Mother Margaret, like everyone around here does."

His eyes were so friendly and sincere that Alys couldn't help but smile. It was such a relief to know that some people actually showed their emotions—sometimes it got so tiring watching Selendrile, who never let on what he was thinking, and was hardly ever even remotely friendly.

"My name's Alys," she said, smiling warmly. "This is Selendrile."

For some reason, this caused Selendrile to jerk his head in her direction, his eyes betraying annoyance. This puzzled Alys to no end, but she decided not to waste her time thinking about it. She opened her mouth to explain what they were doing here, but Selendrile cut her off. He placed his arm around Alys's shoulders in what was probably meant to be a gesture of cousinly affection. "Mother Margaret, this is the girl I told you about—my cousin, who's going to stay for the winter while I take care of some business."

Renn's face lit up as Selendrile spoke. "She's staying here for the winter? What a wonderful surprise," he said.

"I will be coming to visit every few weeks," said Selendrile. There was a curious smile on his face which reminded Alys more of a grimace.

Alys whirled around, astonished. He was coming to visit? But what was all that about…hibernating? She glanced quizzically at Selendrile, but he shook his head ever so slightly, perhaps indicating that he would answer her questions later.

"I know that you'll take good care of her," said Selendrile, lowering his voice in a perfect imitation of worry over his cousin. He gave Alys a brotherly squeeze. "And now if you'll excuse me, I want to say goodbye to Alys in private."

With that, he pulled Alys out of the room and back into the bar, his arm still around her shoulders. The minute they were out of sight of Renn and his mother, Alys shrugged out of Selendrile's grip. They made their way to an empty table, ignoring the stares of the others in the room.

"What was that all about?" she hissed. "_You _said you were _hibernating. _And as far as I know, that means you sleep through the _entire _winter."

Selendrile smiled his dragon smile at her. Alys was unsure whether he was laughing at her or not, and she didn't feel like guessing.

"The reason I'm going to be sleeping," he breathed, somehow managing to make his voice sound more or less normal and at the same time prevent anyone else from hearing, "is that there won't be enough food for me in the winter. I sleep to make the hunger go away. But I don't sleep the whole time. And I _will _come and check on you."

Alys sighed, and glared at Selendrile when she noticed that he'd opened his mouth to comment about that particular habit of hers. "Is that really necessary?" she said through gritted teeth. Yesterday night's conversation about her accident rate was not yet gone from her memory.

"Yes," said Selendrile simply. His eyes were completely blank, betraying not a single hint of what he was thinking.

And then, Selendrile did something completely unexpected. He reached out and gave Alys's hand a squeeze. "Take care of yourself, Alys," he whispered, and then, with the speed and grace of his species, left her sitting dumbstruck at the table, mouth agape.

Alys stared disbelievingly after him for a moment or so. She was mystified by his behavior—Selendrile had barely spoken a kind word to her during the entire time of their living together. And this...she was utterly unable to process it.

"Are you hungry?" asked a voice that sounded vaguely familiar to Alys. She turned her head and saw that it was Renn, who had come to check on her.

Alys shook her head mutely, still lost in her reverie. "Here, I'll show you your room."

This got Alys's attention. She hurriedly got up and followed Renn, who led her back along the corridor and up the stairs she had seen earlier.


	3. Chapter 3: Mystery, thy name is Quinn

Chapter 3

Chapter 3: Mystery, thy Name is Quinn

Alys stared at the little chamber she was to call her own for the duration of the winter. It was small, but no smaller than her own room had been in the tinsmith's house. It was simply furnished, with a straw mattress in an iron bedstead, as well as a wooden chair and a bedside table. There was one window with a candle in it.

"So, what do you think?" asked Renn from somewhere behind Alys.

For some reason, Alys had to swallow a lump in her throat. "It's nice," she said in a voice that wasn't quite her own. She strode over to the bed and poked it with one finger. It gave easily—unlike the hard ground she'd been sleeping on for the past few days.

Alys turned back to Renn, who was standing in the doorway, watching her with a slightly puzzled expression. "Is anything wrong, Alys?" he asked.

Alys sent him what she hoped was a reassuring smile. "No, the room is great," she said. Her answer did not apply directly to the question. The true answer would have been that she felt like crying. "Could you leave me alone for a bit to get settled?"

Renn's expression cleared. "Certainly. Dinner's in a little while, if you want some." With that, he turned and went back down the wooden staircase, leaving Alys alone in her new room.

Alys sighed. It was only for the winter, wasn't it? And he _would _come to visit. But nevertheless, Alys felt tears clouding her vision. Her father had never left her alone for more than a day. When he had to go to a neighboring town for a few days, he took her with him. She wasn't used to living without someone familiar. And yet here she was in a foreign town, alone among strangers.

A wave of homesickness swept over her, driving away any thoughts of dinner or Mother Margaret. She dropped onto the bed and sobbed into her pillow. At length, she fell asleep.

"_Time is running out, Alys." _

_The resounding cackled reached such thunderous proportions that the cavernous rock chamber quavered. A piece of rock broke off the walls and landed next to Alys's foot. Alys cowered, gripping a stone that jutted out from the cave walls for support. _

_The old witch's voice alternated between loud and soft as she spoke, as if her words were in a letter where some of the words were blurred. Alys bit back a scream. _

"_You will soon be in mortal danger. The chance to redeem yourself will not be there forever…" _

Alys awoke, shivering and drenched in sweat, at the sound of a bloodcurdling shriek. The shrill noise pierced the silence of the night with the clarity of a knife, chilling Alys's very bones. It died away instantly, and though Alys strained her ears to catch any sound, there was none. Silence filled the room. Except . . . she detected a faint whimpering from somewhere close by. When she realized that the whimpers were coming from her own mouth, they ceased immediately.

Gingerly, she tiptoed over to the window and pushed open the shutter. She was greeted by a cool night breeze. There was a faint, underlying scent in the air that was vaguely familiar. It smelled faintly of tin, but she couldn't place it.

Then it dawned on her what the smell was.

It was blood.

Alys was roused from her fitful sleep by the pretty maid who had let her and Selendrile in the night before. She was decidedly friendlier now. Alys wondered if it was because Selendrile was no longer in the near vicinity—or perhaps she had found out from Mother Margaret or Renn that Alys was merely his cousin, and she thought she had a chance with him.

"Breakfast is ready if you want any," said the girl, Mae, on her way out, smiling warmly. She was probably trying to make up for her attitude last night.

Alys fumbled for the sack that contained all of her possessions, rummaging through it for something to wear. But she stopped in the middle of her search. There, at the very bottom of the bag, was some kind of metal chain. Puzzled, she tugged at it. What she saw made her catch her breath.

It was a pendant of some sort, attached to the finest golden chain she had ever seen. It made Atherton's clunky crucifix with all its amethysts and sapphires look gaudy.

The pendant had a picture on it of a golden snake with its body bent in almost the figure of an eight. The snake's eye was a tiny amethyst that was barely visible; the background was a deep blue.

Alys had never seen anything so beautiful in her entire life. She wondered where it possibly could have come from—then she froze. What if it had come from Selendrile's hoard? She tried to dismiss the notion, but it stuck in her mind. There was no other explanation for the thing appearing amongst her possessions. Certainly _she _had never seen it before.

Without really knowing what she was doing, she fastened the golden chain around her neck.

Mother Margaret had asked Alys to go to the market with Renn—it would be a good excuse, she said, to get to know the town. Alys couldn't have been more eager to go, for she wanted to find out as much as she could about Quinn. Especially after Renn and Mother Margaret both denied having heard any sort of noise during the night.

The houses of Quinn were pretty, if a little shabby, and most had their shutters open. There were a great number of people out in the streets, and some stopped to greet Renn and stare at Alys as they passed. But something was wrong. Many people's faces were pale and drawn, and one man looked disheveled and had dark rings under his eyes as if he hadn't gotten any sleep. And yet Alys knew that he wasn't a beggar or a drunk, for his clothes were clean, if a little rumpled, and were obviously tailor-made.

"There's the butcher's," said Renn, cutting into her observations. He was pointing to a shop on Alys's right. To her, it seemed rather small and pitiful. She hadn't even been able to tell that it _was _a butcher shop—there was nothing on display, though the shutters were wide open. The shop sign was so tiny and unremarkable that she would have missed it if it hadn't been pointed out to her.

"And that's the bakery," added Renn, nodding at an equally inconspicuous bakery, which had two loaves of bread and a muffin in its display window.

Alys peered more closely at the surrounding houses and realized that almost _all _of them were shops of some sort, but most of them didn't even have display windows, and several didn't have any signs!

A shabby-looking wooden building, all but one window shuttered and the door closed, caught her eye. Under normal circumstances, an empty building wouldn't have interested her, but there was something strange about it that she couldn't quite name.

"What's that?" she asked, watching Renn's smile fade.

"That's the bookshop," he said dismissively.

Alys stared. This derelict little town, with its depressing stores and nonexistent displays, had its own bookshop? St.-Toby's-by-the-Mountain, which was by no means a wealthy town but whose shops were in much better shape, possessed only one book—Father Joseph's tattered copy of the bible, which had been passed down to the deacon upon the pastor's death. A lump rose in Alys's throat at the thought of round, jolly old Father Joseph and the coughing sickness that had caused his death.

Alys suddenly realized how different her life would be if Father Joseph hadn't died. For one thing, her father would still be alive. She would still be living in St. Toby's, taking care of him and learning his trade. All of that horrible witch business would never have happened; the wheelwright Gower could never have accused her of witchcraft and succeeded in having her condemned. And Inquisitor Atherton's fate wouldn't be haunting her. She shivered through the wool of her jacket. Where would she be if Selendrile hadn't decided to let her stay with him?

Alys squinted into the single open window. It was dark inside, though light should have streamed in from the street; she couldn't make out a thing.

"Mind if I take a look?" she asked Renn. Without waiting for an answer, she strode up to the door of the so-called bookshop and knocked loudly. A moment later, Renn appeared by her side, panting slightly. "Uh, I'm not sure this is a good—"

"Ssh," Alys silenced him. From somewhere inside she'd just heard a loud _thump _and muffled cursing.

A minute later, the door slowly creaked open and a curious figure poked its head out. It was the head of an old man with wisps of gray hair, a gaunt face and small, coal-black eyes that were watering from the bright sunlight. The strange little man opened his mouth, revealing teeth that were all perfectly intact. As the front door opened wider, Alys realized that the man's teeth were quite possibly the only part of him that was intact—his hair was uncombed, his chin sprouted gray bristles, his clothes were wrinkled and dirty, and his hands were shaking even as he clung to the door for support.

But the strangest thing about him was that he was muttering to himself, eyes darting nervously from Alys to Renn.

"What do you want?" grunted the man, surveying Alys suspiciously.

"I'd like to take a look at your books," she said with the biggest smile she could muster.

The old man squinted at her suspiciously. He cast an accusatory look at Renn, who shifted uncomfortably. "This your doing, boy?" he said, fixing his gaze on the innkeeper's son. Renn shook his head and stared at the ground.

"I guess you'd better come in then," said the man, frowning. "It won't do to have folks gawping at us."

Indeed, several passersby had frozen in their tracks to gape at Alys and Renn. Plainly, the bookshop was not an area of Quinn that was frequented by most people. Alys followed the man inside, deeply curious about what she would find.

The inside of the bookseller's home was dark and smelled of mold. The man led them down a musty corridor and into a room that was illuminated only by the small chinks of light coming in through the shuttered windows. The only furniture was an ancient, moth-bitten old sofa and a small wooden table, which Alys promptly tripped over. The bookseller winced, muttering something under his breath about women.

The room they finally stopped in was slightly larger than the room they had just left. Its furniture consisted of long wooden boxes with shelves in them. The things came up to Alys's eyelevel, and were stacked to bursting with—

"Books!" Alys exclaimed in surprise. At this, the bookseller rolled his eyes. "Well what did you expect, turnips?" he muttered. "This is a bookshop, girl, so unless you want to look at some books, you'd best take your innkeeper's boy here with you."

But Alys was beyond hearing. Her eyes were as wide as dinner plates as they tried to take in the sight of all of these leather-bound books. They were beautiful—she could tell even in the dim light. Most of the bindings were old, but they had an air of wisdom about them, as if they contained secrets that only a chosen few could discover.

One book in particular caught her eye. It was bright crimson, a much stronger color than the others. Alys hesitantly reached out for it, pulling it from the shelf as if it were the most precious thing she had ever seen. There was a hiss of air as the bookseller gasped, but Alys ignored it. She turned the book over in her hands until it looked like it was facing forward, with the title on the front cover. _The Mortal's Guide to Dragons and other Fey, _Alys could make out after a minute of concentrating. She hadn't been able to practice reading in such a long time that her skills had gotten rusty.

A guide to fey creatures? What better way could there be to find out about dragons? Alys could scarcely believe her luck in finding this. Now, if she could only convince the bookseller that she desperately had to have it…

"I'll take it," she said brightly, turning back to the bookseller. His already chalk-white face paled even more. "You'll _what?_" he hissed.

"I said I want to buy it," Alys repeated, smiling at the old man. "This _is _a bookstore, isn't it?"

"That's beside the point," he grunted. "That particular book is not for sale. None of these books are for sale, least of all that one."

Alys sighed. This was going to take some persuading.

"I can make it worth your while," she said, reaching for the small brown satchel at her waist, which was filled with shiny silver coins. "I'd be willing to offer a lot of silver for it."

At this, the man stared at her but said nothing.

Slightly annoyed now, Alys turned to Renn. "You agree with me, right?"

Renn gave her a look like he thought she were out of her mind. "Of course not! Are you insane?"

This was not quite the reaction Alys had pictured. Why on earth shouldn't she be allowed to purchase a book? And why was there panic in Renn's eyes?

"That's it," she said, turning back to the bookseller. "I'm offering you twenty-five silver coins for that book, which is three times as much as it's worth. I don't see any reason for you not to sell it to me."

The bookseller's eyes had grown huge. Alys could see the thoughts racing around in his mind—he was tempted to sell, but something was holding him back. Finally, eyes glazed, he nodded.

"No."

Renn's expression was hard, and he was clearly set in his decision. "You are not going to buy that book."

"But _why_?" Alys protested. "I've never even looked at a book, and this one's about—"

"Dragons, yes. Extremely dangerous creatures with which you should have absolutely nothing to do."

Alys snorted. This was getting more ludicrous by the second. "That's stupid, Renn. Why shouldn't I know anything about them? It might help to be prepared if I ever had to come face to—"

"You will never have to come face to face with a dragon," interrupted Renn. Alys noticed his hand twitch.

She could see that there was no way to persuade him to let her. So there was only one thing to do. "You don't own me, Renn. I am going to buy that book whether you like it or not."

There was a short pause, in which Renn's face began to turn the color of the fey book.

"As long as you're living in my inn—"

"It's not yours, it's Mother Margaret's," Alys put in coolly.

"She's against it too."

"How would you know?"

"Because I know her. And I'm sure she wouldn't want you to get dangerous ideas from that book."

That was the last straw. Alys hated being treated as though she was incapable of thought, and that was clearly what Renn was doing. He was acting as if she were a child, and he had to stop her from doing something stupid like trying to find a dragon or something. Of course, it was already too late for that, but Renn didn't know that tiny detail about her past.

"This is ridiculous," she said, rummaging in her purse for silver coins. "I'm going to buy that book, Renn, and don't you dare try and stop me."

Renn's mouth snapped shut, though he continued to glare furiously. She however ignored him and counted out twenty-five shiny silver coins, placing them carefully into the bookseller's trembling hand.


	4. Chapter 4: Dragon Tales

Sorry it took so long, guys! I've had a looooot of stuff on my plate. But don't worry, I haven't forgotten this little story...enjoy!

* * *

Chapter Four: Dragon Tales

DRAGONS: Dragonlore, Dragon Lifestyle, Eating Habits and more

So read the title, in big bold letters, of the chapter dedicated to dragons. Alys couldn't help noticing that this section of the fey creature book was much thicker than the others. And what others there had been! Chapters on elves, gnomes, fairies—all beasts that she had only ever heard of in fairy tales. Some were familiar, such as the mermaid or the centaur, but others—the saber-toothed pixie, for example—were strange to her.

Alys had only skimmed through the other chapters. She could read about those later, if she wanted to. But the reason she had bought the book was to find out the things that Selendrile would never tell her.

A SMALL INSIGHT INTO DRAGONLORE_  
__According to legend, dragons were created millions of years ago in the flames that formed the earth. Dragons were the first beings to walk the earth. For thousands of years they remained thus, drinking the liquid fire that they obtained from the rivers of fires But the dragons became lonely, living as the sole beings on earth, and used their magic to create other creatures. Animals and fey creatures all come from the dragon. _

_Another thousand years passed before one dragon, a red female by the name of Necrolei, was cast out from the ranks of dragons for creating an impure creature that was intelligent enough to outthink all but the dragon—the human. Necrolei was cast into the deepest depths of the earth, into the darkness where she could harm no one. But the dragons underestimated the mighty Necrolei, who, in her fury that was hotter than the eternal flames, used her knowledge of dark magic to steal the fire rivers so that they flowed into her prison. She sealed her own prison behind her, and though the dragons tried again and again to open the gates of the earth, it was sealed off forever. The only other beings who could enter Necrolei's prison were the souls of dead humans, which were sent to the eternally burning flames to pay for their misdeeds in life._

_Necrolei became the sole keeper of the rivers of fire, the dragons' only source of food. _

_This is how the world began, how humans were created, and the reason why dragons eat meat._

The book went on to describe the various types of dragon—red dragons, who were generally shunned by other dragons and had their own set of rules; green ones that could live anywhere in the world; gold dragons, such as Selendrile was; sea serpents and swamp dragons, neither of which could breathe fire; and the fabled white dragons, who favored icy northern regions and of whom there had been almost no sightings by mortals. It spoke of the Dragon Council, comprised of the seven oldest dragons throughout the world, who made the dragon laws and made sure that dragons followed them. The book described what and how much a dragon ate, where certain dragons chose to live, and approximately how many dragons there were in the world. There were countless beautiful illustrations of dragons, all looking majestic and regal in a way that even Selendrile couldn't top.

One illustration in particular caught her eye. It was of two golden dragons, their snouts and tail tips touching so that they formed the shape of a perfect circle. The drawing had a strange beauty to it—it spoke of a ritual that had been performed since the beginning of time. There was no caption underneath the picture.

Unfortunately, it was getting very late, and Alys had to get up early every morning. Her candle had nearly burned out, and she didn't dare ask Mother Margaret for another.

So she was only able to skim the rest of the information on dragons. Apparently, dragons gained special abilities once they came of age…they could telepathically communicate with any living creature—Alys hoped this didn't mean Selendrile could read minds. Also, they were able to remain in other forms than their dragon forms during the day, except in the hour between noon and one o'clock.

--vvvvv--

Alys awoke with the dawn. She was roused by a rooster that hadn't been there the morning before; it sounded slightly ill.

She groggily got herself out of bed and dressed. There was something off about the room, something that should have been blindingly obvious. But she couldn't quit figure out what it was. It wasn't until she reached for her necklace that she realized what was missing.

The dragon book had disappeared.

Alys tore apart her room (literally, because she accidentally ripped one of the sheets in her frantic search) trying to find it, but to no avail. Someone had stolen the book. But why? She had bought it from the bookseller for a high price, but how would any thief know that? Some more superstitious people thought that books were evil, but that was no reason to steal a book from her bedside table. Why not just go for the bookshop?

The only other explanation was that the thief wanted to sell the book somewhere. But that didn't explain why he had left her golden necklace, which was obviously the most valuable thing in the room. The whole thing made no sense.

Alys finally decided not to worry about it too much. Perhaps the answer would present itself to her in due time. Feeling slightly hollow inside, as though some part of her were missing, Alys made her way downstairs.

Chores kept her so busy that day that she had no time to worry about the dragon book. She swept and scrubbed the floors, cleaned up some of the guest rooms, and even helped in the kitchen for a while. She didn't mind the work—actually, it made her feel more at home than she had in a long while. It also made her feel less like an outsider. The arrangement with Mother Margaret was that she stay the winter free of charge, but work for her room and board. Selendrile could easily have paid for her keep, but she much preferred it this way. Just staying on as a guest would have felt stiff and awkward; and besides, a rich man (young though he may be) paying for his underage cousin to stay the winter at an inn in some forgotten little town, coming to visit her occasionally…it would have looked just a little bit strange. Particularly because Selendrile only ever visited after sundown….

That evening, it was her turn to stoke the fire. Something in the glowing red embers caught her eye: a scrap of paper. With narrowed eyes, she carefully lifted the singed bit of paper out of the dying fire.

There was writing on the page. Most of it was too charred to make out, but two of the words she could read were "fairy rings."

Alys felt slightly lightheaded. Burned? Her beautiful red-leather dragon book, destroyed?

She sank heavily into one of the old armchairs and stared into the empty fireplace. Her only real insight into the world Selendrile tried so hard to keep hidden, gone.

Alys hardly ever cried. She hadn't even spilled a tear after her father died—mostly because of the malicious townspeople getting ready to stake her to a post as dragon's bait. But now she wanted to. It was silly to cry over a little thing like a book, she knew. And yet she felt a strange connection to the tome, as it was the only true information about dragons she was ever likely to find. A whole world was hidden in those pages, a world that she could scarcely dream of. Whoever had written that book had meant it to be read. And now it was gone.

The only information she was ever going to get about fey creatures would have to come from Selendrile. And he wasn't exactly truthful, especially when it concerned his species.

Alys balled her fists and groaned in frustration. . If only she could turn back time, make it so that the book had never touched the flames! She stared blankly into the dying embers. They were mocking her. Evil, demonic faces were leering at her from inside that fireplace. She scowled, almost tempted to throw the poker at the stupid fire.

It was at that moment that Renn chose to make his entry.

And it was exactly in that second that Alys comprehended who the thief was.

"You," she said, without getting up from her chair or even bothering to turn around. "You burned it."

Renn said nothing. She could just picture his expression—his freckled face looking guilty and remorseful, like a toddler who had committed some misdeed.

However, when she turned around to look it was quite another story. Instead of the guilty expression that should have been there, there was a touch of annoyance. The nerve! Getting annoyed at her when he burned _her _book!

"I had to do it, Alys. That book is dangerous. It's full of garbage, and I didn't want you to go believing it. Really, you should thank me for saving you."

Alys's mouth dropped open. Without realizing it, she had risen to her feet.

"Tell me you don't believe actually believe that," she managed, trying to keep her voice steady. "Tell me you don't actually believe you did me a favor by burning a book I paid twenty-five silver coins for, Renn."

Renn lowered his head and said nothing. But there was a touch of defiance in his demeanor.

Words could not describe the boiling hot fury currently coursing through Alys's veins. It was as if someone had lit up a volcano inside her mind, and the mountain of boiling lava had just erupted.

"_How dare you_," she hissed, glaring at Renn with something that an observer might have mistaken for hatred. Her hands were shaking, and she was having trouble standing up straight.

"That_ piece of garbage _meant more to me than anything else I own. And you just destroyed it. Oh dear god, why wasn't I born a boy? I would tear you to shreds with my bare hands…."

Renn was beginning to look like a cornered animal, all traces of defiance gone. "I'm sorry, I'm sorry—" he stammered. But it was too late for apologies. Alys, tears already pricking her eyes, fled from the room.

--vvvv--

Alright, perhaps it wasn't _precisely_ true that the dragon book was her most prized possession. And she didn't hate Renn for burning the book—in some strange, inexplicable way, he had meant well, though she was unlikely to admit it to anyone or try to understand it in this lifetime. But it galled her that Renn though he had the right to destroy her property. It would take a miracle, or at least several months, for her to forgive him.

A welcome distraction presented itself that evening in the shape of Selendrile. Alys was shocked to see him so soon—she'd been expecting to see neither hide nor tail of him for at least several weeks. But there he was, disheveled and pale, standing in the doorway.

"Selendrile!" she exclaimed in surprise. "What are you doing back so soon? It's only been two full days!"

"Couldn't sleep," Selendrile replied grimly. "Come on, I need to talk to you someplace private." Without any warning, he grabbed her by the wrist and pulled her out the door.

He steered her into "The Dragon's Claw's" back garden, which was nothing more than a tiny patch of grass with a low, ramshackle fence around it.

"Listen, there's something wrong with this place," Selendrile began without preamble. "You have to pack your things right now and come with me. I'll find you some other town to stay the winter."

This statement came as a bit of a shock to Alys. "You mean I'm…leaving?"

"Yes. Right now. Go get your things."

"Now hold on a minute, Selendrile—"

"Don't 'hold on a minute, Selendrile' me. Get your things!" he cut in impatiently.

Alys's mouth dropped open. Selendrile almost never spoke to her like that.

A touch of annoyance began to creep up on her. She wasn't about to let him start treating her like that…at least, not with out a very good reason.

She placed her hands on her hips and fixed him with a practiced glare. "I'm not leaving this place. Not now, not when I'm about to find out what's going on here."

Selendrile's expression now became very exasperated. "I have no time for this. Alys, we are leaving! Now!"

Alys narrowed her eyes. "I see what the problem is. You see me as a piece of your property that you can order around whenever you choose. And now that I'm actually meeting people _other _than you I actually like, you object to it. Well, I've got news for you—you don't own me, and I'm not coming with you!" In actuality, Alys wasn't feeling nearly as brave and strong as she sounded. After all, she was speaking to the human projection of a huge, fire-breathing dragon with a certain issue with temper control.

This statement seemed to have touched a nerve. Selendrile now looked distinctly annoyed. "Don't be ridiculous, Alys. There is something seriously wrong with this town! There's absolutely not a single trace of _any _magical creature! That's not right—there is _always_ some kind of evidence of fey hanging around a town or city! Not even a _brownie,_ Alys. That means that something is covering its scent."

And now Alys was intrigued. All traces of anger vanished, replaced by avid curiosity.

"What kind of—" she began, but was interrupted almost immediately.

"A _dragon, _Alys. A lone dragon is hanging around this town and pretending it isn't. There, satisfied? Will you come with me now?"

So there was a dragon near Quinn…Alys's fascination had just reached a whole new level. There was no way she was leaving this place now. Unless, of course, Selendrile decided to drag her along. Then she wouldn't have a choice.

"No," she said with as much finality as she could muster while trying to stop her legs from turning to jelly and giving her away.

Selendrile narrowed his eyes. "You won't come? You'd rather be eaten by a dragon?"

"You're a dragon, too," Alys pointed out.

Selendrile seemed to be losing his patience. "That's beside the point. Not all dragons are as tolerant of an attitude like yours as I am. You _have _to come with me. You have no idea what kind of danger you're in!"

"Why do you care, anyway?" she countered.

"I don't, but I don't imagine you want to die anytime soon!"

"I'm not coming, Selendrile. And that's final. You can pick me up at the end of the winter, as planned."

Selendrile's nostrils flared. Plainly, he was accustomed to getting his way. But there was no budging Alys.

"Fine," he said finally.

Alys was amazed. So he wasn't going to swoop in and kidnap her? She was almost disappointed. Almost.

"Turns out I was right all along," he growled, turning away from Alys. "You are more trouble than you're worth. I should have just killed you when I saw you tied to that stake."

And with that, he swept out of the garden, and was just possibly gone forever.

THANK YOU FOR REVIEWING!!


	5. Chapter 5: Nothing is simple

Sorry it's taken so long to update! I've just been so incredibly busy, and I can only write one story at a time--I was working on a different story, which is not a fanfiction. Anyway, here's the next chapter! Enjoy!

**Nothing is as simple as it appears**

"_I should have just killed you when I saw you tied to that stake."_

The words echoed in her mind as she scrubbed her floors. They reverberated in her mind as she served guests in the Dragon's Claw's pub. And they made her toss and turn when she tried to sleep at night. The words cut deeply--more deeply than they should.

_"Why do you care anyway?"_

_"I don't..."_

Why should these words make tears well up in her eyes? Why did they made her feel alone in the world? Although, she realized, she _was _alone. Selendrile was the only person she really knew. He'd taken care of her for months, treated her more kindly than people who had known her all her life...and now he was gone.

Her nightmares had gotten worse. She woke up every night after seeing the old witch's face cackling at her. The nightmares left her no peace, so that both waking and sleeping became hell.

Weeks went by. Eventually, Alys and Renn made up. They never again mentioned the book, and Alys never asked to return to the bookshop. Renn sometimes voiced his concern for her--how she looked paler every day, how she rarely spoke, how she had dark circles under her eyes. She hardly ever smiled. He tried to cheer her up; he even brought her an evergreen bough to brighten up her room, but Alys could only muster a weak smile.

One evening, when Renn was working in the kitchen and Alys was taking a break from work in the sitting room, staring into the fire, Mother Margaret walked in. She quietly took a seat near Alys, who didn't notice.

"Alys," she said softly, startling the girl out of her reverie.

"W-what is it?" she mumbled, rubbing her eyes.

"I think it's time we had a little talk."

A sinking feeling settled in the pit of Alys's stomach, and she tried not to grimace.

"I'm worried about you. We both are. And I know you haven't known me very long, but I think you should tell me what's bothering you, dear. Maybe I can help."

Alys, feeling a lump rising in her throat, said nothing. She shook her head--there was nothing Mother Margaret could do to bring Selendrile back. _Nothing. _

"Can you tell me what's wrong?"

Alys shook her head at this, too. How could she explain to Mother Margaret about Selendrile?

"Is it that cousin of yours?"

Alys spun around. How did she...how could she...the woman was smiling faintly now, a knowing smile.

And then all of Alys's reserve broke. The dam inside her burst, and the tears began to flow freely.

"He's not really my cousin," she said. Strangely, she felt no horror, no remorse for revealing this information. Somehow, she felt she could trust Mother Margaret. There was just something in her eyes that reminded her of how her father used to look at her.

"He's just a good friend who helped me when I was in a really tight spot. He cared for me, made sure I had a place to live. And this is how I repay him...."

She wiped the tears from her face, but more kept coming. Emotions that had been building up for weeks suddenly threatened to overwhelm her.

"What is it, child? What did you do?" Mother Margaret's voice was full of sympathy and understanding.

But Alys shook her head. She could hardly tell the woman that Selendrile was a dragon who just happened to be worried that she might be eaten by one of his kind.

And then it hit her. He'd been worried about her! No matter what he tried to say, Alys knew that he'd been worried about her. And what had she done? Insulted him and turned him away.

"I was horrible to him...I sent him away as if he meant nothing to me. But I do care about him! Very much! I--"

She broke off, unsure where this was headed.

Mother Margaret was looking at her strangely. "So what are you going to do about it?"

It took Alys a moment to realize Mother Margaret had spoken. "Excuse me?"

"What are you going to do?" she repeated.

"I don't--"

"You said you treated him badly. So, how are you going to make it up to him?"

Alys stared, open-mouthed, at Renn's mother, having difficulty to believe what she was hearing.

"I can't," she said finally.

"Why not? Can't you write him a letter?"

Alys almost laughed. Write Selendrile a letter? She could more easily imagine writing a letter to her dead father than to her dragon friend. "I don't know where he is," she said, and at least this was a truthful answer.

Mother Margaret thought for a moment. "I could ask Renn to look around the nearest villages," she offered, but with less conviction. Alys was already shaking her head.

"Even if Renn agreed...Selendrile's not very well-known. And he could be miles away by now--he moves fast."

"Well, then, you'll just have to wait for him to visit."

Alys felt tears welling up again. How could she ever expect Selendrile to come back? After all he had done for her, all the months he'd put up with her, letting her slow him down...she had no idea what he had to give up for her. Had he lived very differently before she came along? Surely he had never carted around a human before? She must have been a terrible burden on him. It would be more than she could possibly ask for him to come back. After all, he had left her here with plenty of money, in the hands of people who, as yet, had not turned out to be axe-murderers. If this dragon living near Quinn really existed, she could always leave the town and find a different place to stay.

"He won't come back to visit," Alys said quietly. She brushed away the tear spilling down her cheek, wishing she had a handkerchief.

"Oh, dear," said Mother Margaret helplessly. "And there's no way--"

Alys shook her head, forcing a smile. "He was just a friend. We've only known each other for a few months. I don't think he really liked me that much."

Alys had to spit the words out; they left such an unpleasant taste in her mouth. But why? Yes, she cared about him, but not in that--

She was in love with Selendrile.

The thought was so completely out of the blue, so unexpected, that she was stunned. Had she really just thought that And then, in a rare moment of clarity, she realized that she was. Impossible though the whole thing was--she could think of a thousand reasons why it wouldn't work, not the least of it being that Selendrile was a different species, or that he didn't feel the same way about her--she knew that it was true. She was in love with Selendrile.

Alys couldn't bear to look at Mother Margaret, who, after all, was only trying to help. Instead, she played with the end of her apron.

"I think you may just be wrong," said the woman thoughtfully.

Alys's head jerked up. "I'm sorry?"

"I mean, I saw the way he was looking at you that night you got here. He was very protective, if I recall correctly. And the way he glared at Renn...I tell you, it took all my years as a mother to keep me from laughing out loud. He was jealous!" Mother Margaret laughed. There was a mischievous glint in her eye.

"Jealous?" Alys squeaked, hoping Mother Margaret wouldn't notice her flaming cheeks.

Selendrile, jealous? Impossible. Alys would easier have believed that the sun was green. Possessive, maybe. It was true he hadn't exactly been friendly to Renn, but there were thousands of logical reasons for that. Just because none came to mind that second didn't mean they weren't out there.

"Yes, jealous," said Mother Margaret, smiling.

At any rate, it cheered Alys slightly. Whatever Mother Margaret had seen, it meant that Selendrile cared _something _about Alys.

"Thanks," she said, smiling genuinely for the first time in weeks.

"You're very welcome, my dear."

----------------------------------

So it came that Alys was in much higher spirits when she went to fetch water the following day. She was in the hopeful mood of one who had just realized they were in love--she couldn't stop thinking about Selendrile, and wishing she had someone to talk to about him. Mother Margaret was a wonderful and caring person, and she had probably guessed the turn Alys's feelings for Selendrile had taken, but she just couldn't imagine telling her about how much she loved Selendrile's face, his arms, his amethyst eyes, and especially his dangerous and thrilling aura. Things like this really made her wish that he'd been wearing clothes the day they met.

However, any thoughts she might have had along those lines was driven out of her mind when she reached the well. There, leaning against the edge of the well and appearing to be waiting for her, was the subject of her nightmares from those past few weeks. The witch of the glen.

Alys dropped her bucket in shock. Of all the things she'd expected to find that day, it certainly wasn't this.

Hands shaking, she stooped to pick up the bucket. She considered running away, but the old witch had already seen her, and anyway, they needed water.

She approached the well, trying to ignore the eyes that she knew were fixed on her. For the moment, at least, the old witch seemed content to stare.

But then, just as Alys had finished drawing water, she heard the dreaded voice:

"So we meet again."

The proclamation sounded ominous to Alys, even if the tone was more or less friendly. Alys was beginning to shake. Perhaps if she ignored her, the witch would go away.

However, Alys had no such luck.

"I see you got away from those villagers," the old witch remarked, making Alys's blood run cold. The old woman had seen the great golden dragon swoop in and carry her away, and she knew that Selendrile hadn't eaten her. If the witch told anyone about Alys's dealing with dragons, then she would finally have to die the way the people of Saint-Toby's-by-the-Mountain had intended for her.

Only this time, Selendrile would not be here to save her.

"Why are you following me?" Alys asked in a shaky voice, finally turning to face the witch.

The old woman smirked in a manner that was not unlike Selendrile's.

"My dear girl, whatever do you mean by that?"

"I mean," said Alys, gathering up her courage, "that I met you in Griswold, and then you were there at Saint Toby's that day, and now you're here!"

"Why that's silly!" said the witch, letting out a little laugh that was very similar to a cackle.

"I live near Griswold. You came there on your own, if you remember. And I just _happened _to be visiting Saint Toby's that day because I was calling on my old friend Goodwife Margaret."

Alys opened her mouth to protest--she had never seen the witch in Saint Toby's before; that she was sure of. There would have been talk in the village if anyone had seen the old crone around town. But the witch raised a hand to silence her.

"I never walk through town. I take the road along the back meadows, and as you know, Margaret lives on the edge of town."

Alys was silent for a moment, considering. "But what are you doing here?"

"My dear child, do you honestly think I could follow you here? How do you think an old woman could follow a dragon around? I have business here, business that does not concern you."

Alys was still not convinced, and the mention of a dragon made her wary, but she was beginning to feel a bit stupid.

"I've been having nightmares about you," she mumbled, glowering at the ground.

The old witch chuckled. "That's not a very kind thing to say."

"What?"

The witch grinned at her, revealing a row of pearly white teeth that Alys had definitely not expected. "Advice is free," said the witch, repeating the words she'd spoken during their first encounter, back in Griswold.

"What do you mean?" asked Alys warily.

"I _mean_ that you should get out of here before you end up dead."

Alys didn't quite know how to respond to this, so she said nothing and waited for the woman to continue.

"I assume you've heard about the dragon," said the witch. Alys nodded. Then the old woman's expression changed, so that Aly s couldn't tell what she was thinking.

"Then you're a bigger fool than I thought," said the witch, sighing. "I'd have thought your dragon friend would have taken you away. Why hasn't he?"

Alys glared at the witch. "That's none of your business!"

At this, the old witch cackled. "So he's left you, has he? Abandoned you in the worst place to be?"

"I never said that!" cried Alys indignantly.

"You didn't have to. If I know one thing about dragons, especially male ones, it's that they're terribly fickle."

"How do you know so much about dragons?" Alys shot back, trying to keep the hurt out of her words.

"Trust me, dear, I have my ways."

"Don't you 'dear' me," Alys muttered.

The witch grinned again. "Well, I have no use for your rudeness, child. I'll just be on my way. And remember," she said, turning to leave, "My door is always open."

"But--"

The old witch held up her hand to silence Alys. "As I said, my door is open."

Alys watched her walk away; the woman was remarkably nimble for her age. It dawned on her that there was much more to the witch of the glen than met the eye....


	6. Chapter 6: Dragon Scales

_I'm so sorry it took this long to write the chapter before this one. And I'm also sorry this chapter is so short. But to make up for it, I'm putting up chapter 7 on Christmas Day, so stick around! _

_Happy Thanksgiving to all those who celebrate!_

**Chapter 6: Dragon Scales**

It was a quiet evening just like any other. The usual noises filled the tavern--glasses clinking, tankards being plunked on the table, the low murmur of voices.

In other words, it was unbelievably boring. Only months ago, evenings at the King's Crown Inn* had been lively and filled with music. But the lord of the province, a man not wildly popular with his subjects, had seen fit to raise the taxes so that Eliza, the owner of he tavern, could not afford to play the fiddler anymore. (The fiddler was only Old Bill, an elderly farmer who had lost farm and family in a fire and now made his living playing the fiddle for a few pennies. He didn't have what you'd call "talent," but his tunes were catchy, and the townsfolk weren't picky.)

Hence the dull atmosphere every evening.

Eliza's gaze swept over the tavern, taking in faces that were the same every single evening, faces she had seen all her life. Except one. A young man, about seventeen, Eliza guessed, sitting alone in a corner of the tavern staring at the table. He didn't have anything to drink yet, which in Eliza's tavern was a punishable offense, so she rushed to his table. She couldn't help noticing that the young man was surprisingly good-looking. He had long blond hair tied up in a ponytail, was very well-built, and when he turned his head up she saw the strange purple eyes.

"What can I do for you?" she asked in her standard order-taking voice.***

"What is it hu--people drink when they wish to forget what's happened to them?"

Eliza was startled not only by the question, but by the eloquence of his speech. Nobody in this tiny little town talked like that except Father Ryan, who was a crazy old fool.

"You mean ale?"

The young man only stared at her. His face was completely devoid of emotion, and Eliza had to wonder what he was thinking.

"One of those, then."

Eliza turned away, shaking her head in wonderment.

Several minutes later, after the man's drink had been delivered to him, Eliza saw him take a sip of ale and grimace.

She was a little put out. This was not the usual reaction to her tavern's home-brewed ale! The King's Crown Inn prided itself on its high quality drinks, which were only slightly watered down.

She walked back to the stranger's table, and with a fixed smile asked him how he liked the drink.

"It's quite interesting," said the man carefully.**

Eliza stared. That wasn't quite the response she had expected. She wasn't quite sure what to make of it--did the man mean he'd never tried ale before? That was highly unlikely. He probably had different ale where he came from. Perhaps people there didn't water it down as much as they did here. Shaking her head, she went back to her counter.

Eliza tried to concentrate on her job, but since her job mostly consisted of cleaning a few glasses, filling up the occasional tankard, and making sure the more drunk men didn't try to grope her serving girls, it was difficult to keep her mind off the stranger. He sat there all evening, sometimes ordering a glass of ale or a plate of food that he never touched. Finally, Eliza couldn't take it anymore. She marched over to his table and sat down across from him.

"If you don't tell me what you're doing here and what's bothering you _this minute_, you can just go home right now."

The man looked startled.

"I'm sorry?"

"Why do you keep staring at the table? What's bothering you? Is it a girl?"

The man simply stared, his face blank. "With all due respect, that is none of your business," he said calmly.

"Is it a girl?" Eliza repeated, determined to get an answer.

The man's face hardened for a moment, and then cleared again. "If you must know, it's a friend of mine who stabbed me in the back," said the man coolly.

"Female friend?" Eliza demanded for the third time. She was never wrong about these things, and stubbornness was in her blood.

"Will it give you that much satisfaction to know my friend's gender?"

"Yes."

"Fine," said the man, sighing. "It's a girl."

Eliza grinned triumphantly. "I thought so. I'm never wrong, you know. Now, what's this girl done to you?"

The man had obviously come to the conclusion that he would get nowhere by trying to evade her questions, and that the fastest way to get rid of her was to give her what she wanted. _Smart man._

"Well, this _friend_ of mine was in trouble, and I helped her out of it. But now she's gotten herself into really grave danger, and now she won't let me get her out of it. She never wants to see me again. Not that it's any of your business."

"Why don't you just try again? If there's one thing I know about girls, it's that they love to change their minds."

The man shook his head. "She made her answer pretty clear."

"And I think you're wrong. The girl's had some time to think now, and if she's got any sense, she'll have changed her mind. Besides, what else are you going to do? Sit around a tavern all night and not drink?"

"Well...."

"Take my advice. Try again."

The man scowled. "She doesn't need me anymore. She's found a new family."

"Don't say that! I think she'd be crazy not to want you back," said Eliza, chuckling a little to herself. "But the only way to find out is to ask her."

---------------------------------------

Alys's initial high spirits had faded a little, and things had more or less returned to normal. She wasn't depressed anymore, partly because Renn did such a good job of cheering her up. He really was sweet, she admitted to herself. Why couldn't she just see that and forget about Selendrile, who was obviously not coming back?

It wasn't fair. Alys hated to be dependent on anyone, and she didn't like being attached to someone who had forgotten all about her. But she knew that only time could heal her wounds.

One crisp morning in late December, Renn and Alys set out for the town square to visit the few shops that Quinn possessed. Quinn was still bleak and run-down, especially in the wintery atmosphere. The streets were tenser than ever, and nobody stayed outside after sunset, and most were home well before then.

But now, at this early hour, the little town was comparatively lively. The shopkeepers, who all knew Alys by name and had become quite friendly, greeted her warmly.

An hour passed without incident, and Alys and Renn finished most of the errands. Then Renn said that he had to take care of something at another end of town, and added that she didn't have to come along. "I won't be long," he said, smiling. "In the meantime, you can stay here and warm up."

Alys, who was shivering, agreed, and so settled herself in the bakery. The baker, a slender man with dark hair, was an amiable man, and so she spent a pleasant few minutes. Then, she noticed something strange through the window. The bakery was right across from the mysterious bookshop where she'd bought the dragon book. It was unusual in this town for anyone to linger more than a few seconds in front of the place, but now she saw a woman come out of the shop. She had red hair, Alys saw, but since the woman was so far away, she could see nothing else.

Alys quickly said goodbye to the baker and rushed out of the shop. Her curiosity, which was famous for its tendency to pop up at the oddest moments, propelled her forward. Before she knew it, she was standing right next to the red-haired woman. Finally, Alys could get a good look at her. The woman looked to be in her mid-twenties, but it was hard to tell because she looked so pretty. She had brownish-red eyes, full lips, and a figure that made poor Alys feel six years old again.

The woman wore a simple dress, which did nothing to hide her pretty curves. She was smiling oddly at the shop, with an expression that Alys couldn't quite read.

"Hello," said Alys tentatively.

The woman turned around slowly, looking as though she were surprised Alys had spoken.

"Why hello there!" she said, and as she did so, her face broke into a brilliant smile. Her voice was melodious; it had a lilting tone to it, like music.

"I, uh, saw you from across the street," said Alys uncertainly. "I was just wondering what you were doing in the bookshop, since you didn't buy anything. I know it's none of my business, it's just that no one in this town ever goes in there...."

The woman laughed, but it was a friendly laugh, and Alys couldn't help but smile back.

"Well, you see, I love books. I try to collect them, which it harder than it sounds, let me tell you. And I just went inside that shop to look for some. But I'm afraid I fell in love with all the books and just couldn't choose between them! Silly of me, I know." She laughed again, and the sound rang clear as a bell in the relative quiet of the town.

Alys's smile widened. This woman was incredibly nice, and she seemed to be the only person in Quinn who had any interest in books. Alys, who was not at all well-read--the only books she had read were Father Jospeh's bible and parts of the dragon book--could appreciate someone who had the time, not to mention money, to read many books.

"I don't think it's silly at all," said Alys. "In fact, I bought a book from that place just a few weeks ago. A beautiful book, but...it was lost."

"Really?" The woman showed genuine interest. "What book was it?"

"Something like _The Mortal's Guide to Magical Creatures. _I don't remember exactly. It had a really long chapter about dragons."

"How intriguing!" said the woman, looking like she meant it.

"Oh, yes. It had everything you need to know."

"I can imagine."

Suddenly, the woman's eyes widened. She was staring at Alys, not at her face, but rater something on her dress. Alys coughed self-consciously, and the woman appeared to recover.

"That's a beautiful necklace you have there," she said, smiling again.

"What? Oh, this." Alys's hand flew to the pendant. "It was a present from a very dear friend."

"_Really," _said the woman, staring intently at it. "Well, your friend certainly has good taste."

Alys smiled ruefully. "Don't I know it...."

"Oh dear, I'm so sorry!" the woman exclaimed. "I forgot to introduce myself! My name is Narissa."

_A pretty name to match a pretty woman, _thought Alys enviously. She was quite content with her name, but as for the second part....

"I'm Alys."

As she spoke, she realized she wasn't the only one saying her name. Renn was calling to her from down the street; he was only a few yards away.

"Hello there," he said as he reached them. He nodded at Narissa and then did a double-take. After clearing his throat, he said, "I'm finished with my errand. We should get home now and help with lunch."

He was speaking to Alys, but his eyes kept darting to Narissa. Alys rolled her eyes.

Narissa graciously excused herself, seemingly not noticing Renn's gaze. "I'd better go see about those books. It was nice to meet you, Alys!"

Renn seemed to be in a great hurry to get home...although he seemed less anxious now than just a minute ago. So Alys reluctantly said goodbye to Narissa and followed him back to the inn. Along the way, she espied something glittering in the mud--it looked like a piece of red glass. But Alys couldn't get a closer look because Renn was already pulling her forward. And when she returned after lunch to investigate, she couldn't find it.

----------------------

It was amazing how quickly time passed. Only a few days later it was Christmas Eve, and Mother Margaret, Renn, and Alys had just eaten dinner. A few of the neighbors had been invited and the evening was lively, by Quinn's standards.

Later that evening, Alys was in the sitting room with Renn, chatting amiably. She was warm and well-fed, and felt at peace with the world. Especially since it appeared that she had found a new friend. Mother Margaret and Renn meant the world to her, but Mother Margaret was just that, a mother, and Alys needed someone closer to her own age and gender to talk to about...certain things. There was also the maid, Mae, but she was always too busy to chat.

So she looked forward to seeing Narissa again as soon as possible.

At that moment the bell rang, and Alys reluctantly got up to answer it. Mae had been given Christmas off, so Alys had more work than usual to do.

It was warm in the sitting room, but the hallways were drafty and uncomfortable. Especially with the icy wind rattling through the rafters. Alys shivered, grateful not to be standing out in the cold.

Yawning, she opened the door...and froze.

It was Selendrile.

--------------------

*Nobody called the inn by its real name. It was known simply as Eliza's place, after the woman who owned it.

**In fact, he thought it tasted like cat urine.✝ But it would hardly be prudent to tell the owner of the tavern that her ale reminded him of the excrement of a cat. In this instance, a word like "interesting" is very convenient because you manage to say absolutely nothing while not insulting anyone.

✝ Although how he knew what cat urine tasted like, I'd really rather not guess.

***Loud and overly friendly.

--------------

_I'm not giving anything away, but I promise you things are going to heat up. And you'll be seeing plenty of Selendrile in the next chapter...and Renn, too! So check back on December 25th! And please, please review, as I highly value your comments!_


	7. Chapter 7: A very unMerry Christmas

_My dear readers,_

_Happy holidays! I doubt that many of you really understand how wonderful it is for an author to have their stories praised. For me, every single review--no matter how short--is like the most wonderful Christmas present you could imagine. And to show my gratitude, I'm going to give you this lovely chapter a day early! I'm very sorry there is no "making out," but I hope this will be nice enough anyway. ^^ And thank you [insert reviewer's name here], for alerting me to the fact that Dragon's Bait now has its own section. I never would have noticed! _

_Enjoy!  
_

**Chapter 7: A Very un-Merry Christmas**

"Selendrile!" Alys gasped. For a few seconds she was frozen, unsure how to react.

Then she threw caution to the wind and flung her arms around him. There were tears streaming down her cheeks, some of them dripping on Selendrile's shirt.

"I'm so sorry," she sobbed, burying her face in his shoulder. Her emotions were in a turmoil--she was ecstatic that Selendrile had returned, furious at him for leaving in the first place, and confused as to why he had come back. But whatever was to come, she was happy that she'd been given the chance to see him again and apologize.

"I'm sorry, I shouldn't have just sent you away like that. I was wrong, you were right. I'm sorry!"

She didn't need Selendrile to say anything, didn't expect him to, but he surprised her.

"I...I'm sorry too, Alys." His voice was uncharacteristically soft. "I shouldn't have spoken to you like that. I said some things I didn't mean...."

Alys felt him shudder, and clung tighter. She was smiling now, unable to form words to express her deep happiness, but also unable to stop crying.

Finally, propriety demanded that she release Selendrile, which she did reluctantly. They were still standing close, closer than ever before.

"I'm so glad you're back," she breathed. Selendrile's hand was on her arm. Now how did that get there?

"Alys, I--"

"There you are!" cried Renn, striding into view. Alys hurriedly stepped away from Selendrile, though she was unsure why. He was supposed to be her cousin, after all.

"I was wondering what...oh." He had recognized Selendrile, for his expression darkened and his stance became hostile.

"What is _he_ doing here?" he said icily.

Alys was shocked. Why would Renn be so cold to Selendrile? As far as she knew, Selendrile hadn't done anything at all to him. She knew Renn to be a friendly person, so this was quite unlike him.

"He's come for a visit," she said, trying to ease the tension.

"Get. Out," said Renn through clenched teeth.

Selendrile hadn't moved a muscle since Renn's appearance. But now he turned slowly in the other's direction, fixing him with a cool stare.

Renn's fists were clenched, and he was glaring forcefully at Selendrile.

"Renn!" said Alys loudly, but Renn ignored her.

"You've caused enough harm around here. Now get out."

A dull horror began to creep over Alys. Surely he didn't mean...no, it was impossible. He didn't know the true cause of her unhappiness, so why would he blame Selendrile for it?

"Did you know she was miserable for weeks after you left? She was so pale, I thought she wasn't going to make it! I don't know what you did, but I know it's your fault. Get out of my inn!"

Alys could see Selendrile's cool indifference turn to outright dislike. He was glaring at Renn now, his amethyst eyes hard and cold. "Don't get mixed up in things that don't concern you, boy," he hissed.

And she'd thought things couldn't get any worse....

"Stop it, you two!" she cried, but they didn't pay her any attention. Now she was getting a little annoyed--they were fighting about her, after all! If there had ever been a time to roll her eyes at the ways of men, it was then.

"If they concern Alys, then they concern me."

This time Alys really did roll her eyes. This was getting ridiculous.

"That's enough," she said firmly. "Renn, I know you care about me, and I appreciate it. But there's more to this than you know, and besides--Selendrile and I have fixed everything now. And Selendrile! I expected more of you."

She looked back and forth between the two. They were frozen and locked in a mutual glare.

But at her words, they turned around. There was disappointment in Renn's eyes. "So that's the way it's going to be," he said quietly, looking at the ground. "Well, I guess I'll just leave you to it, then." And he left without another word before Alys could stop him.

Selendrile was staring at her coolly. _Oh no, _thought Alys. _How am I supposed to deal with _two _damaged egos? _

"So he's your new bodyguard, then?" said Selendrile. There was no mistaking his mocking tone that Alys had come to dread.

"He's not my bodyguard, Selendrile, and I'd really like you to just drop it. Just two minutes ago I was so happy you're here, and now...."

Selendrile was silent for a while, but his expression darkened. "Were you really sick after I left?"

Alys reddened, partly with embarrassment and partly with annoyance at Renn for bringing up the subject in the first place. _Way to make it obvious...._

"It wasn't like that. I wasn't getting much sleep because of those nightmares That's why I was pale. And I was really mad at myself for saying all those stupid things," she finished quietly.

Selendrile sighed, and Alys didn't get the impression that her statement had made him any more cheerful. "I'm a dragon, Alys. Never forget that."

Alys had to blink back tears. Had Selendrile guessed her true feelings? Was this his way of brushing her off?

It wasn't fair. It just wasn't fair that he was a dragon, and would outlive her by hundreds of years. And it definitely wasn't fair that he looked so human--how could she, a mere mortal, possibly get over that? She knew it was wrong to wish for things to be otherwise, but she just couldn't help it.

She had to forget about the whole thing. He was still a dragon, and could roast her alive and eat her if he felt like it. And anyway, she'd gotten what she wanted. It was time for her to move on.

"I won't. But I'm still glad you're back."

They stood in silence for a while, and Alys wondered what Selendrile could possibly be thinking. Was he sorry he'd come back? She hoped not, especially since there was a question nagging at her.

"Selendrile?" she said timidly.

"Yes?"

"Could you--would it be too much--can you tell me about the dragon?" Her voice was barely above a squeak.

Selendrile's expression remained unchanged, so that Alys wondered whether he had even heard her. She resisted a mad impulse to wave a hand in front of his face.

But when after a full minute Selendrile was still silent, her nervousness became unbearable. He never answered her questions, so why should he answer this one?

"I suppose I _could _tell you a few things about the dragon," he said thoughtfully. Alys breathed a sigh of relief. "You do deserve to know why it's so dangerous to stay here."

Now that there was no imminent threat from the dragon-youth, Alys's nervousness vanished and was replaced with burning curiosity. She had a million questions, but decided to let him talk first.

"Yes?" she said, trying not to sound too eager.

"Well..." he began, considering his words. "I'm sure you've realized by now that dragons are solitary beings. We like our privacy, especially from other dragons. In fact, some dragons are so reclusive that the only other dragons they ever see are their brood mates."

Now there was a direction Alys had never expected the conversation to take. Not that she hadn't ever wondered...actually, quite a few of her questions were about that particular subject. But that was one thing she knew Selendrile would never explain. He was reluctant to give even the smallest details away about his species, and had even lied to her about not being able to turn into a human during the day! Which reminded her of something she'd read in the dragon book--when Selendrile came of age, he should, according to the book, be able to take on other forms during the day. So when would Selendrile come of age? And how old was he really?

"In spite of this, there is a commune of dragons--sort of like a government, I suppose, run by the elder dragons--that makes rules for my entire species. There aren't many rules, but breaking them means certain death."

He paused, and Alys swore there was a smirk tugging at the corner. Finally, she realized that this was because of the stunned expression on her face, which she immediately checked.

"There are, however, a few dragons who are exempt from these rules. A certain...breed of dragons, if you will."

"The red dragons?"

If there was one moment in history Alys would have liked to freeze and play over and over again, it would have been this one. Selendrile's expression went from smug to shell-shocked so fast, she couldn't be sure he'd moved at all.

"How--how do you--?"

"Just a guess," she said, grinning.

"Anyway," said Selendrile after a minute, when he had more or less recovered, "red dragons are very rare, they're always female, and they're extremely dangerous. They're the outcasts among dragons, I suppose. They don't receive protection from the commune, and they're free to do as they wish."

He hesitated, seemingly deciding whether or not to continue.

"One of the oldest rules of dragons, so old that it existed even before the commune was formed, is that we are not allowed to invade one another's territory. Which is what I'm doing right now."

Alys noted the sudden uncertainty in his bearing. He was unusually pale, and his breathing was heavy.

"If a dragon breaks this rule, he or she forfeits the right of protection, and they are at the mercy of the dragon whose territory they are on."

He was definitely not looking so good anymore. To her amazement, she saw beads of sweat on his forehead. He was..._scared_.

"Red dragons have...strange hobbies. This one surely has something interesting planned for Quinn. But what, I have no idea."

Then he was silent, and Alys knew he would say no more. She was astounded at how much he had revealed--it was against Selendrile's nature to give information freely. And somehow, she had the feeling that he was telling the truth this time.

So how did all of this make sense? And what did he mean, red dragons had "strange hobbies?" Alys didn't know much about dragons, but she guessed that they liked to terrorize towns and farms and eat the inhabitants. At least, that was what the stories said. But that didn't seem to fit this picture.

"So you don't know--"

"No."

"Are you going to take me with you?"

He fixed her with a long, hard stare. Then he sighed.

"I won't force you to come with me. I...wouldn't want to. And anyway, you don't seem to be in immediate danger. As far as I know, there haven't been any deaths in Quinn."

Somehow, Alys had the impression that this wasn't the entire truth. "Wait, I think there was one," she said, suddenly realizing something. "The night I got here, there was a scream in the middle of the night and I smelled blood." She had conveniently forgotten right up until this moment....

Selendrile actually looked troubled now. "The truth is, Alys, I can't take you away. I can't turn into a dragon here, because the red dragon would pick up my scent and probably kill me. Actually, I don't know why she hasn't done it yet."

"But that makes no sense! How did you get here if you couldn't turn into a dragon?"

Selendrile was unusually patient tonight. Either that, or he was just too worried to care about her many questions. "When I got close to this dragon's territory, I turned into an eagle and flew as fast as I could. Nasty, slow little beasts," he added, scowling.

Alys could see he was getting agitated. His shoulders were tensed, his posture was rigid. She wanted to help, to make a suggestions that could get them both out of this mess. But what could she possibly say?

"Couldn't I just walk out of the dragon territory?"

It sounded stupid seconds after she had said it, and Selendrile had no patience with stupidity. He groaned with frustration, clenching and unclenching his fist.

"Do you have any _idea _how far that is? A dragon's territory stretches for miles around, particularly this one's. You would be walking for weeks, maybe months--and that is if you didn't freeze to death! It wouldn't make any difference if you got a horse, either. There's not a single other town for miles around, so you and the horse would freeze to death. Besides, I can't fly back and forth between you and safe territory to turn into a dragon! I'd die of exhaustion, _especially _without food. There's a reason dragons hibernate, you know."

Alys was a little miffed now. "It was just a suggestion," she muttered, glowering at the floor, which was covered with water and mud thanks to Selendrile. She mentally groaned--she'd have to clean that up later.

"So I guess I'm stuck here, then," she said after a while.

"For now, at least."

Alys stared. So he did have a solution! Then why hadn't he said anything until now?

"What?"

"We do have...a chance. If we wait till spring, when there are countless different scents in the air, my scent might be masked a little. So if I flew very fast--it's a slim chance, but one we have to take."

A chance. That was all they had. What was the alternative? Death either for her or for him, or both. And whatever the outcome might be, she had to wait till spring. Winter always seemed to drag on, so this was going to be unbearable. _Stupid dragons and their rules, _she thought bitterly.

"Selendrile, how old are you?" she asked suddenly. She wasn't quite sure why she'd said it, but she was dying to know, and now seemed her last opportunity to find out. Besides, she had to distract herself, or else she would start crying in front of Selendrile.

Selendrile was silent for so long that Alys wasn't sure he'd heard her. Eventually, the dragon-youth fixed his gaze on her, although what was going through his mind she had no way of knowing. "If you must know, I'm 217," he said finally, turning away.

This was around what Alys had guessed, but as she watched him, she began to have her doubts. There were rare instances when she could tell he was lying despite his bland tone, and this was one of them.

"I don't believe you," she said, folding her arms.

Selendrile shrugged, but Alys could have sworn there was a smirk tugging at the corner of his mouth. It was only there for a moment, though, and then his face returned to listless and tired-looking. Alys decided not to bother trying to get a straight answer out of him. Obviously his talkative mood had passed.

It was Alys who broke the silence first.

"I guess...this is goodbye, then."

Selendrile turned to look at her. "I suppose it is," he said softly.

"And you can't come to visit." It wasn't a question, only a statement.

"It would be too dangerous."

"We might never see each other again."

This time, Selendrile did not answer. For the first time, Alys realized how serious the situation was. She wondered what her life would be like right now if she had left Quinn with Selendrile when he came. Would she be happy? Would she regret leaving the friends she'd made here? But what did it matter, really? She had stayed, and because of that she might never see Selendrile again.

Finally, after another tense thirty seconds, Alys couldn't stand it any longer. For the second time that evening, she rushed at him and gave him a hug. This time, Selendrile was a little more prepared, and gingerly put his arms around her.

For one blissful moment, Alys forgot the red dragon and the fact that this might be the last time she ever got to see Selendrile. All she could think about was how warm he was, how wonderful he smelled...like damp meadow grass in spring. Just like the day they met.

She thought back to that fateful day, how Selendrile had acted towards her. Every word out of his mouth had mocked her, made her feel weak and pitifully human. And how different things were now....

Eventually, Selendrile pried himself away from her and got to his feet. "I have to go, Alys," he said quietly.

Alys looked up at him, determined not to break down. "Goodbye, Selendrile. And thank you so much. For everything. I--I don't know where I'd be without you."

Selendrile looked away. "Thank you for teaching me a little more about humans. I think I have a better understanding, now, of some things...."

Alys managed a weak smile. "Goodbye," she repeated. She stared at the floor, for there was no need to look at Selendrile any longer. She'd already learned him by heart.

Before she knew it, Selendrile had disappeared, leaving her with muddy floors to clean and another ego to boost. It was going to be a long winter....

------------------------------------

_I hope you liked that. Now I'm going to give you a few hints to the next chapter:_

_1. Selendrile is NOT 217 years old. His age will be revealed in the next chapter!_

_2. The witch will make an appearance. I wanted to put her in this chapter, but it got too long. _

_Merry Christmas, Happy Hannukah, and a wonderful New Year! (And Kwanzaa too, I guess. ^^)  
_


	8. Chapter 8: Questions and Answers

_Hello everyone! I'm sorry it took so long to write this chapter, but I really wanted to get it right. Thank you so much for your feedback; I enjoyed your praise and was grateful for the criticism. It doesn't matter to me what you say about my story so long as you say something, because that shows you care enough to take thirty seconds to make a would-be author very happy. ^^ Anyway, I don't want to keep you from reading, so enjoy!_

Chapter 8: Questions Unasked and Answers Unwanted 

A new year dawned, and with it came peace of mind for the entire Dragon's Claw Inn. After a good deal of coaxing, Alys finally made up with Renn, although she avoided mentioning Selendrile. And, though she didn't enjoy being away from Selendrile, she was happy that they had parted on friendly terms. She remembered how close they had been that night, closer than they had been in months. Without the fear of being killed by the red dragon, it would have been like the way things were in the summer. How strange it sounded—Alys had spent her entire life in one village, and for a glorious half year, she had been able to see the world with a dragon.

Two weeks passed, and Alys began to feel restless. She took to wandering around town in her free time, searching for something she couldn't name. She ran into Narissa a few times, and just as Alys had predicted, she was wonderful to talk to.

Alys began to notice something strange. One of the houses along Quinn's main street always had its door open. She knew it wasn't an abandoned house, since there was usually a candle standing on the table you could see from the outside. The only question was, why would someone keep the door propped open in January?

One morning, Alys couldn't stand it anymore. On the way to fetch water, she stopped in front of the house. Tentatively, she knocked on the door. "Hello?" she called, for the front room was empty. There was no answer. She waited a full five minutes, but after she called several times and nothing happened, she decided that the owners must be out.

She was just about to leave when she heard a strange shuffling noise. The sound was faint, and she had to strain to hear. A minute later, the source appeared. It was none other than the witch of the glen.

"You!" Alys exclaimed.

"There's a polite way to greet someone," said the witch, raising her eyebrows.

"You live here?"

"Yes. And stop staring at me like that, it's very unbecoming."

Alys looked self-consciously at the ground. "What took you so long to answer the door? You must be in very good shape to follow me—I mean, _appear _in St.-Toby's-by-the-Mountain only a day after I saw you in Griswold."

The old witch chuckled, making Alys uneasy. "You must make allowances for an old woman, dear. I was testing you to see how long your curiosity would hold!"

Alys said nothing and glowered at the floor.

"Oh, come now, dear, you have to admit it was very funny."

"_Anyway…_why did you leave your door open all this time? Do you have some kind of spell to keep you warm?"

"I have nothing of the sort. Which reminds me, get in out of the cold and close the door. It's freezing, or haven't you noticed! Anyway, I was giving you a hint. I told you my door was always open!" She cackled, and now Alys really felt stupid. _Annoying old woman, playing mind games…_no wonder people called her a witch!

"Well, come now, out with it! What do you want to know?"

"Excuse me?" said Alys.

"You came here, so you must have some kind of purpose. What is it you want to know about? Dragons? This quaint little town? Or perhaps you want my advice?" She laughed, forcibly reminding Alys of the other times the witch had offered her advice. Now that Alys had spoken to her several times, the witch was no less creepy.

"What—what do you know about dragons?" said Alys cautiously.

The witch grinned, which was even eerier than her laugh. "Everything."

"G-good," said Alys.

"Don't just stand there, child! Sit down, and let's have a nice little talk." The grin never left her face.

Until that point, Alys had not had a chance to look around the room. It was a sitting room, with a simple wooden table and three chairs. There was a shelf on the wall that held a few books, which was a small comfort, and a crystal bottle filled with brown liquid. With a fire crackling in the grate and a tablecloth on the table, the room might have been quite homey.

She sat down on one of the chairs, trying to subtly move her chair back so she wouldn't have to sit too close to the witch.

"So, er, there's a dragon in the area."

"Other than your dragon, you mean."

"Yes. Um. Could you tell me about her?"

"I could."

She waited for the witch to elaborate, but nothing came. So she tried again. "Will you tell me something about her?"

"No, I don't think so," said the woman lightly.

"What?"

"Really, my dear, I thought you were just a little cleverer than that. I can't tell you about the dragon occupying this town because it's being hushed up, and I might get into all sorts of trouble. I don't think I'd enjoy being roasted alive, do you? You'll find out soon enough, anyway…about the dragon, I mean."

Alys was mystified by this response. What was being hushed up? Who knew about it and was keeping it silent? And what on earth did the witch mean, she'd find out about the dragon soon?

"So what _can _you tell me, then? Is there anything that's not a secret?"

"Of course, dear. Why don't you ask me about the things you didn't manage to find out from the dragon book?"

Alys's jaw dropped. "How do you—"

The witch chuckled. "I have my sources. Now, I'm sure you have some burning questions."

"I…guess," said Alys reluctantly. "Do you—can you tell me—how can you tell how old a dragon is?"

The witch's wrinkled features broke into such a disturbing grin that Alys involuntarily shifted away from her.

"Well, you can generally tell by their size, although some dragons are just built bigger than others. But tell me, does this have anything to do with your dragon friend?"

The conspiratorial tone of her voice made Alys blush. Sometimes the witch acted like nothing more than a nosy old biddy. "Yes," Alys admitted, realizing that she knew everything anyway.

"Excellent. This would be Selendrile, then?"

Alys nodded, not even bothering to ask how the witch knew his name.

"I believe he's turning eighteen this spring?"

She turned to stare at the witch. "What? No!" she exclaimed. How was it possible? She had always known that he must be several hundred years old. The woman must be mad if she thought he was just a year and a half older than Alys. And yet….

"Yes," said the witch, who was clearly enjoying herself. "It may be hard to believe, but until dragons come of age—that is, at eighteen—they grow and mature at the same rate as humans do."

Alys felt dizzy, and it wasn't from forgetting to eat breakfast that morning. This went against everything she had ever known about Selendrile. No wonder he'd lied about his age…she couldn't help but smile to herself. It felt so good to level the playing field a bit. At least this made her impossible feelings for Selendrile seem a little less so. If it weren't for the fact that he would outlive her by hundreds of years, and could turn into a scaly monster whenever he chose, she'd be just like any other girl her age in love.

The witch, meanwhile, was watching her with a self-satisfied expression. But now Alys didn't mind so much. Who knew what else the old woman might be able to tell her?

"Thanks," said Alys.

"You're catching on quickly. Come now, isn't there anything else you want to know? About Selendrile, perhaps?"

To be perfectly honest, there were hundreds of questions Alys wanted to ask, many of them about Selendrile. But the witch made her nervous, and she didn't feel like revealing how curious she really was. Besides, she never knew whether the woman was telling the truth or not.

"Thanks, I've got all the answers I need," said Alys, getting up to leave.

A gnarled white hand shot out from nowhere and grabbed her by the wrist. She tried to jerk loose, but the witch was uncannily strong. "Sit back down, girl," she said. "We're not finished yet."

Alys lowered herself back down onto the chair, shuddering at the witch's touch. Finally she was released. "What do you want from me?" she said.

"I told you, I'm going to answer your questions."

"And I told _you_ I haven't got any."

"Well, dear, I'm afraid I just don't believe you."

Alys glared at her, realizing that she wouldn't be able to get away unless the witch let her. The woman may not have sold her soul to Satan, but she had some strange power that Alys was more than a little frightened of. Not that this made the witch calling her "dear" any less annoying.

"Fine. The book about dragons I was reading is called _The Mortal's Guide to Dragons and other Fey._ Have you ever heard of it?"

"My dear child, I helped write it."

Every second Alys spent with the witch brought new surprises. But Alys was getting tired of being behind on everything, so feigned indifference. "Then everything in that book is true?"

"Of course."

"All the dragon legends, the descriptions of how dragons live?"

"Yes, although there wasn't enough room to write _all _the details."

Alys was silent for a while, wondering what questions were safe to ask. "So, er, did the book mention anything about how dragons feel?"

The witch pondered this a moment. "I think it makes a brief mention of dragons' emotions. Dragons think of themselves as the strongest creatures in the world, and they're right.

"Dragons feel just as acutely as humans, you know. Sadness, fear, hate, greed, jealousy…quite common, actually."

"What about other emotions? Happiness, maybe, and…love?"

The witch cast her a sidelong glance that was not unlike Selendrile's unreadable looks. "Happiness, yes. Love, not really. The only real affection dragons feel is for their mothers."

Alys tried not to show how crushed she felt. But her face wasn't very good at lying. How could dragons feel happiness without love? They seemed to embody everything negative in humans: greed, hatred, arrogance, jealousy—and magnify it. No wonder they liked to be alone.

"However," said the witch; Alys clutched the folds of her dress, "dragons have the amazing ability to learn. In time, a dragon could learn to fall in love."

Alys sat frozen in her seat, unwilling to believe her ears. She knew she'd only make herself miserable. What did this knowledge give her? Nothing except a false hope. There was nothing worse than starting out sad, then getting your hopes up, and then being crushed all over again.

"That's…interesting," she mumbled, not trusting her voice. She stared at the folds of her dress, avoiding the witch's gaze.

"I should say so, considering how in love you are with that dragon," said the witch.

Alys's head shot up. "Excuse me?" she cried indignantly.

"Oh, don't try to deny it, dear," the witch chuckled. Then her expression shifted into something strange, or at least something that was unusual on the witch. If Alys weren't so mistrustful of her, she would have sworn it was sympathy. "Only…be careful. I've said it once, and I'll say it again—dragons are terribly fickle."

Alys said nothing. She glared at the ground, wishing it would swallow the witch whole. The only person she had ever let give her advice was her father, and now Mother Margaret. But coming from the witch, who had haunted her so often in her dreams, it was unbearable.

"Thanks," she said acidly.

"I've never felt more flattered in my whole life," said the witch dryly.

"Well, do you have anything else to tell me that I don't need to know?"

"There's a tear in your dress. Otherwise…I think you have enough to hold you over for a while. Odds are you won't see me before the fight, but if you have any more questions, you know where to find me. Only, don't expect the door to be open. You don't want an old woman like me to catch pneumonia, do you?" she cackled.

"_Thanks, _I'll be sure to stop b—what did you say?" said Alys suddenly.

"What, dear?"

"What do you mean, 'before the fight?'"

"I'm sure I have no idea what you're talking about, dear. Goodbye, and don't be a stranger." The witch creaked to her feet, once again seeming to forget how physically fit she was.

"You said something about a fight. Don't pretend you didn't—I'm not stupid, you know."

"I never said you were, dear. Goodbye."

She was out of the room before Alys remembered to ask her about the nightmares.

As she made her way back to the inn, she was too preoccupied with everything the witch had told her that she didn't notice where she was walking. Consequently, she had been walking for about a quarter of an hour before she realized she was going in the wrong direction. Clutching her shawl tightly against the cold, she turned and started the right way.

"Alys!" called a familiar voice. Narissa was running towards her, as graceful as ever. Alys took a few steps towards her, smiling. "What are you doing here? I thought you said you wouldn't be around for a few days."

"I came back early. Why, aren't you happy to see me?"

"Of course I am!"

"I'm glad," said Narissa, smiling. "But Alys, dear, what are you doing in this part of town? I thought the inn was—"

"At the other end of town, yes," Alys interrupted. "I, er, got lost."

"Here? In this little place?" Narissa chuckled. "I suppose you were too busy thinking about _other things _to notice where you were going, right? That gentleman friend you've told me nothing about, I assume."

"Oh, him?" Alys blushed. "No, actually I just had a talk with the witch of the glen. She told me a lot."

"A witch!" Narissa gasped. "How horrible! Please tell me you didn't listen to her. Oh, Alys, you poor thing!"

"She's really not that bad," Alys protested. And it was true, she realized. For all her knowledge of secrets and her creepy demeanor, she was just an old woman with too much time on her hands. You just couldn't get scared of that.

"You mustn't believe anything she said. Oh, this is awful! Alys, dear, what did that horrible woman do to you?"

"Nothing! She just told me a few things about my friend Selendrile."

Narissa, who up until that moment had been pacing back and forth, stopped. "This would be the friend who took care of you, right? The one who gave you that necklace?"

"Yes," said Alys, mystified.

"And she didn't try to put a spell on you?"

"That's right."

"Then I guess it's alright," said Narissa reluctantly. "Tell me—what did she say?"

"She said Selendrile's really only seventeen, although he was pretending to be older."

Narissa smiled. "I suppose that sounds innocent enough. But, Alys dear, you never did tell me anything about that friend of yours. What does he look like? Is he handsome?"

They began to walk in the direction of the inn, with Alys shivering from the cold.

"Well," she said, blushing, "He's…tall. And he has long blond hair, and purple eyes,"

"He sounds handsome," said Narissa, grinning.

They chatted along those lines for a while. When she noticed how much Alys was shivering, Narissa lent her her pretty red shawl. "Don't worry, I'm not cold," she said when Alys tried to protest.

All too soon they were standing before the front door of The Dragon's Claw Inn. Alys wanted to invite her friend for lunch, but Narissa declined. So, reluctantly, Alys said goodbye and retreated into the marginally warmer hallway.

It was an excellent start to an interesting new year.

---------------------------------

_I really love writing the witch. I'm actually sort of glad Vivian Vande Velde didn't expand too much on her personality. She wrote just enough so that I could make the witch the way she is._

_Which reminds me--you don't know everything about the witch just yet. Stay tuned!  
_


	9. Chapter 9: Unwelcome Truths

_I am so incredibly sorry to have kept you guys waiting. You always write such beautiful things about this little fanfiction, and here I've kept you in the dark for this long...well, I hope this chapter makes up for it. Enjoy!_

Chapter 9: Unwelcome Truths

One chilly evening in late January, Alys, Renn and Mother Margaret were settled by the fire in the sitting room. Business had been slow that day; the restaurant was almost empty, and the only two guests were the two usual ones who had been there since Alys had arrived.

Mother Margaret was mending a dress, and Alys was curled up tiredly on the sofa next to Renn. She and Mae had spent the day scrubbing floors—for the umpteenth time—and making up the guest rooms. Alys ached all over, but it was warm and comfortable in the sitting room with Renn's arm resting on her shoulders.

Alys sighed. She was beginning to see how much she would miss Quinn. Despite the supernatural presence that haunted it, the town was becoming like a home. Here, she had to do no less work than when she'd lived with her father. Even less, since she didn't have an invalid to care for. But it was different from what St. Toby's had been to her. Her old hometown was the place where she happened to be born, but she had come to Quinn of her own choice, in a way.

"What are you thinking about, dear?" asked Mother Margaret.

"Quinn," said Alys. "I guess I was just thinking how much I'm going to miss this place after I leave. This town is like a home."

Mother Margaret, instead of looking sad, was smiling. "More so than you realize, dear."

"How's that?"

"The blacksmith has asked you to marry his son."

"What?" Renn exclaimed, pulling his arm away.

"Oh yes," said Margaret. Alys's felt the heat rising in her cheeks, and had to hide her face in her knees. No one had ever proposed to her before! Even though she was technically considered to be of a marriageable age, being sixteen, she could not think of getting married.

Mother Margaret was still talking. "Whatever you decide on that _particular_ issue…we're glad to have you here. You're welcome to stay as long as you wish." She excused herself, saying it was time she went to bed, and left Alys and Renn alone.

"You're…not really going to marry him, are you? He's much too old!" said Renn in a guarded tone.

Alys looked up. Though he seemed to be trying to hide it, the matter was clearly bothering him. "Of course not." But she couldn't help adding: "But he's not that much older, Renn, only three years."

"Three and a half," said Renn. He was doing such a poor job of hiding his relief, Alys couldn't help but smile.

"My mother was ten years younger than my father," said Alys slyly.

Renn said nothing, and Alys had the feeling that it might be best to move on to other subjects. But before she could say anything, Renn cut her off.

"Alys," he said, staring into the fire, "why can't you stay here? Why do you have to leave us—leave me?"

Alys closed her eyes, unable to look at Renn. It was her turn to wish for a change of subject. "I have to go," she said quietly.

"But _why? _You said yourself Quinn was your home."

"I said Quinn was_ like _my home. I can't stay here forever. This winter has been wonderful, but I have to move on."

"You still haven't told me why." Then she saw his expression darken, and thought she knew exactly what he was thinking. "It's because of _him,_ isn't it."

Alys hated having to deal with Renn when he was angry with her, and she was impatient with him for ruining her peaceful mood. Why did he have to bring up Selendrile at a time like this?

"Not…exactly. There are other reasons why I can't stay."

"Reasons that you wouldn't care to explain to a good friend, of course," said Renn in a tone that Alys did not like at all. She regretted ever having brought the subject of her departure.

"I'm sorry, Renn, I can't tell you. I don't think you'd want to know, anyway." She was thinking back to the day at the bookshop, when Renn had tried with all his might to get her not to buy the dragon book. He didn't want her to know about the dragon, she thought, cringing at the memory of the charred page in the fireplace.

By this time, Renn's expression had become so stony Alys was beginning to think she'd gone too far. But then she checked herself—Renn was mad at her for no reason, as usual. Why should she apologize? Besides, it was late, and she was tired. She didn't have the energy to argue.

"Why do I even bother?" said Renn, throwing his hands up in the air. "You're so in love with that Selendrile that you can't even see you're making the biggest mistake of your life."

That was the last straw for Alys. She fixed Renn with such a fierce look that he winced. "Fine," she hissed, "_fine._ You want to know why I can't stay in Quinn? It's because of the red dragon, Renn, that makes everyone here so terrified they can't even admit it."

For a moment, there was dead silence. Alys could feel the temperature in the room drop. Renn's face was a chalky white.

"How—how do you know?" he breathed, his words almost drowned out by the crackling fire.

"Let's just say I'm smarter than you think I am," said Alys a little smugly.

But her smile faded when she saw the expression on his face. Pure, unadulterated horror marked his features. Apparently Alys had more right than she realized.

"Do you have any idea what this _means?_" Renn whispered.

"It means you've got a lot of explaining to do."

Renn watched her for a minute or so, then began to pace slowly back and forth between the door and the fireplace. He moved at a regular pace, up, down, up, down.

"Why is it so bad, Renn? Why wasn't I allowed to know about something that could kill me?"

Renn laughed bitterly, a sound that made Alys shiver. What had happened to the friendly, carefree Renn she had come to know all winter?

"Because your not knowing about…it…was the only reason you're still alive."

"What?" said Alys, startled.

"Haven't you realized that there are never any strangers around here? Nobody has come to Quinn for _years. _It's a curse, Alys—we live in constant terror, just like you said. So what do you suppose people thought when you and your friend showed up? Some thought it was a sign. They believed you're meant to deliver us from _it. _Others want to sacrifice you to the dragon so it won't harm the rest of us. Oh yes," he added in response to Alys's gasp of alarm. "Don't be so surprised. You have _no idea _what it's like, going to bed each night wondering if you'll wake up at all the next morning. It's not the townspeople's fault for thinking like that. Fear has driven them to this."

Alys listened with dread. The word "sacrifice" was ringing in her ears, repeating itself over and over again in a steady mantra.

Renn was wrong, however, if he thought that she didn't know about the power of fear. Fear and ignorance made people do things they would never ordinarily do….such as believe that the tinsmith's daughter was a witch, though they had known her all their lives. It made people ugly inside.

"If—if everyone believes me to be what you say," said Alys shakily, "why haven't they done anything about it?"

"It was agreed that, as long as you knew nothing about the creature, you could pose no threat to us. And it would be an injustice to send you to your death without knowing why you were dying."

Alys thought this over for a moment. "So what you're saying is, by telling you I know about the dragon, I've basically dug my own grave?"

"No!" cried Renn with such force that Alys involuntarily took a step backwards.

"What I mean is…you're different." His pacing was faster now; he was beginning to look panicked. "You can't hear the orders."

"Orders?" echoed Alys.

"Yes. The creature communicates with us through our minds." He shuddered.

Alys hated to imagine what it must be like to receive instructions from a voice in one's head. But this raised another question—what was it exactly that the dragon wanted the townsfolk to do?

"I can't hear them," said Alys thoughtfully. There must be some reason for this, perhaps some dragon rule that she wasn't aware of. The witch might know, if Alys could get up the courage to ask her.

Renn was pacing faster now, and she thought she could hear him muttering something.

"What is it, Renn?"

"I—it's—we should be dead. The creature should have been able to hear everything we've been saying!"

"What are you talking about? The only way the drag—"

"Sssh!" Renn cut in, clapping his hand over her mouth. "It'll hear you!"

Alys indignantly pried his fingers away. "Don't _ever _do that again. And don't be ridiculous, Renn. The only way it could hear you is if it had its ears pressed against the door."

"What?" said Renn, looking as if she'd just slapped him.

"Somebody's been exaggerating what that dragon can do. It can't read your mind, Renn. And for your information, it's a she, not an it."

Renn's jaw was hanging open. It was as if she'd just tried to tell him that the sky was green.

Alys shook her head hopelessly. Fear was such a fundamental part of him, she doubted he would function without it. "Since neither of us is going to die in the next five minutes, I'm going to bed. Thanks for not sacrificing me to a fire-breathing monster. Good night," she said, and left him alone with the dying fire.

The ascent to her little chamber was less pleasant than usual. Her conversation with Renn had left her expecting the red dragon around every corner. The only thing that propelled her forward was the thought that something, _something_, was keeping her safe from the dragon.

Alys's chamber was as peaceful as when she had left it that morning. Relieved, she changed into her nightgown and readied herself for bed. She was about to pull the covers over when she noticed a white spot on the windowsill. Curious, she got back out of bed, grimacing as her bare toes touched the ice-cold floor, and walked to the window. To her astonishment, she found a letter sitting on the sill.

Almost greedily, she unfolded it, and beheld note addressed to her:

_Dear Alys,_

_I'm in a great hurry. I've just figured out a way to get you out of here! Meet me just outside town before daybreak. __Don't let anyone see you!_

_Selendrile_

Alys was frozen as she stared at the letter. At first, she couldn't believe that Selendrile had found a solution so easily. And anyway, he could have come to her in person.

Then, as her mind began to thaw out a little, she started to think about what all of this meant. She would be reunited with Selendrile, and she would never see Quinn again.

While she rejoiced at the former, the last thought was a little more difficult to cope with.

But there was no other option. She couldn't stay here _and_ see Selendrile.

It was with a heavy heart that Alys gathered up her few belongings into her bag. She remembered that first day, when she'd found her necklace at the bottom of it…she felt tears pricking her eyes again, but ignored them.

She waited as long as she thought it would take for Renn to fall asleep, and then crept out of the house as quietly as a burglar. The reason for this comparison was partly that she felt bad for abandoning Renn, who would live out the rest of his life in fear of the red dragon. But she reasoned with herself that there was nothing she, a mere human girl, could do. Renn would just have to cope.

The town was eerily still. Not even crickets broke the silence of the night.

Alys's every footstep was deafening, and when she tripped over a rock in the darkness and stubbed her toe, it was all she could do to keep from making a racket. Her face was blue from the effort. She reached the edge of town, however, without any trouble except an apprehension of something lurking in the shadows. The memory of the witch jumping out at her in Griswold was all too fresh in her memory.

She breathed a sigh of relief when she finally felt grass, or what would be grass in about a month, under her feet. In front and around her was open countryside, her home for most of the summer. It didn't look much like home now, what with the biting wind and barren ground.

Her breath turned to mist whenever she exhaled. She wished she had something warmer to wear. Unfortunately, for all of Selendrile's care for her, he had forgotten that humans weren't as immune to the cold as dragons seemed to be. *

Alys had no way of knowing how long she'd been standing there. After what seemed to her like an age, made even longer by the frigidness of the air, she thought she could hear a sort of whistling. She spun around, and sure enough, a large, dark shape was flying towards her, growing larger every second. "Finally!" she exclaimed, her heart racing.

When the dragon was directly above her, it started circling lower and lower until its great forepaws landed on the ground with a _boom_ that reverberated through the ground. Alys must have forgotten how tall Selendrile was as a dragon, for she felt even smaller today than usual. "Selendrile," she said happily, looking up—and up—at the dragon's face. And then her heart flew up to her throat. _It wasn't Selendrile._

For a moment, Alys was paralyzed. Once she regained control over herself, she let out an ear-splitting scream that would probably wake the entire town, and began to run. But it was too late; in a second the dragon had its claws around her arms, and in the next, she was jerked off the ground and flying over the countryside. Alys shrieked and screamed until she realized that even if she made herself hoarse, she was at the mercy of the red dragon. Fighting an urge to be sick, she closed her eyes and tried to think of happier things. But her thoughts kept straying to the people she was never going to see again—Selendrile, Renn, Mother Margaret, Narissa….

Eventually, the red dragon began to circle and lose altitude. Alys opened her eyes and saw a vast, hilly region she didn't recognize. The red dragon seemed to be aiming for a rocky outcropping with what looked like a cave.

Alys gulped. This was it, then. This was the end.

***Which is ironic because reptiles are cold-blooded. (Dragons are not.)**

_I hope you liked it! Please review, even if you didn't. Which reminds me--thank you for the criticism. It is duly noted. And thank you very much, [insert name of reviewer here], for pointing out my typos. Feel free to do so again! _


	10. Chapter 10: Dying on an empty Stomach

_Sorry it took so long to update, and sorry it's in a hurry. I wanted to put this up before my trip to France this week. Enjoy!_

Chapter 10: Dying on an empty Stomach

The first thing Alys was aware of was the rocky ground digging into her back. Her eyes were still tightly closed from her fitful sleep. She didn't want to open them because she knew exactly what she would see: tall rocky walls stretching all around her, inky blackness to one side and a huge, dark shape blocking out the light from the cave entrance, and with it her only chance for escape.

Not much had happened since the red dragon had brought her to this place. Without saying a word, probably because of the mental block that protected Alys, the dragon indicated that she should step into the cave. Alys was so shaken and so grateful for every second she remained alive that she entered the cave without a second thought. It didn't matter anyway. She was at the dragon's mercy until she could grow a pair of wings and fly away.

The moment she set foot inside the cave, everything went dark. For a moment she panicked, letting out a shriek that resounded through the cave and was thrown back at her with an increase in volume. The dragon let out a hiss of annoyance that sealed Alys's throat.

The dragon seemed to be in no hurry to eat her. She walked around the edge of the cave a few times like a dog searching for the most comfortable place to sleep, and then gently sat herself down and closed her eyes. This more than anything else calmed Alys a little bit, and she was able to regain her composure. "What do you want with me?" said Alys in a surprisingly steady voice. The red dragon opened one enormous yellow eye and gave her a look that was so reminiscent of the looks Selendrile always gave her that she almost laughed. Alys took this to indicate that she was to wait. In the damp, musty air of the cave, she shivered, wondering what plans the dragon had in store for her.

Despite her dread of being ripped to shreds at any moment, Alys's body had demanded she get some sleep. So here she was, after an uncertain amount of time. She must have fallen asleep, for rays of daylight squeezed through the chinks between the red dragon and the door.

Alys finally got up the courage to look at the dragon full on. Even in the dim light, the dragon's scales seemed to glow, tiny flecks of light reflecting at her where the sun hit the them. The color was breathtaking.

Having nothing better to do, Alys examined the dragon from top to bottom—from a safe distance, of course. The dragon was curled up in a ball like a cat, and her chest was rising and falling at a slow, monotonous pace. Alys noted some differences between this dragon and Selendrile: the red dragon had a more reptilian appearance, was much slenderer and had sharper edges. Her tale was like a sword with a black barb on the end. Short, razor-sharp spikes grew from the tip of her tale all the way to her head. And instead of a long mane, she had two enormous white horns with blood-red tips.

Alys slumped against the far wall of the cave in despair. The dragon was huge—nearly twice the size of Selendrile! Even if he did miraculously manage to find her (assuming, of course, that he would find out about her disappearance and actually care), there was nothing he could do to save her.

Maybe death would come quickly. Maybe the dragon would just hit her head with her tail and she'd go out like a light. Or perhaps she'd roast her alive, or bite her in two with those jagged fangs. Alys shuddered at these morbid thoughts, but they wouldn't stop coming. It reminded her of what she'd felt like tied to that stake, so many months ago, waiting for death to come, ironically, at the hands of a dragon.

Alys closed her eyes, tired of seeing only bleak cave walls and the sleeping form of the dragon. But only seconds later, a great light filled the cavern and she opened her eyes again. The dragon had disappeared, letting warm sunlight pour in through the cave's entrance. A small figure was silhouetted against the bright sunlight. Alys shielded her eyes against the sharp rays, and, squinting, saw to her great shock that it was Narissa. "What are you doing h—no." Alys interrupted herself as the full impact of what she was seeing came crashing down on her.

Narissa was smiling strangely; it wasn't the pretty upwards curving of her lips that usually lit up her features. "Yes," she said. Her voice was different as well.

Narissa was the dragon. Her friend, the glamorous woman she had met in Quinn, the one whom she had trusted and confided in, was the dragon terrorizing the townspeople.

"_Why _would you do this?" Alys was trembling, not with fear this time, but with growing rage. How could she have been so blind, how could she have let herself trust this monster? After living with a dragon for half a year, how could she not recognize one when she saw one?

"Because I'm bored, Alys," said Narissa. "Frightening a few cowardly villagers gets so dull after a while. But _you. _You are fascinating."

Alys's revulsion was so strong, she had to fight an urge to be sick. But it was vital that she keep a cool head. Narissa might not be inclined to kill her now, but she was still a dragon, and it would be unwise to anger her. The thought of her own helplessness made Alys want to slap that smirking red dragon squarely across the jaw. She had to content herself with the sound it might make—first a _swoosh _as her hand flew threw the air, then a resounding _smack _when it met its target.

"How so?" was what she said instead, trying to keep the edge out of her tone. The resulting sound was like a rusty saw.

"There have been rumors in the dragon world, Alys. Even I, ostracized by my own kind, have heard the whispers. A cocky young dragon's got himself a human pet, they say. A maiden who's charmed him so he can't think clearly. Either the hatchling doesn't realize what danger he's in from that Commune of Dimwits, or he's too far gone to care."

Her smirk deepened, as did Alys's loathing. "Needless to say, I was intrigued," Narissa continued. "I had to find out who this dragon charmer, this mistress of minxes was. And my search led me to you. Imagine my astonishment when I found out who you were—a mere girl, average looking even by human standards, steal the heart of a dragon! I was impressed, to say the least."

Alys was fuming, but she refused to let Narissa see. How dare that evil creature call her plain? True, Alys sometimes thought she was homely looking, but to hear those words come from the mouth of Narissa, the dragon who had singlehandedly turned Quinn into an undertaker's, was just too much.

Narissa continued, seemingly having noticed nothing. "So I devised this little plan to get you here. I found out enough about you and your dear friend to make my note sound convincing." She paused, waiting for some kind of reaction from Alys. There was none.

Unperturbed, she resumed her monologue. "Silly girl. If you knew anything about dragons, you would have known not to trust that note. A dragon would have put his seal on it."

Something in the back of Alys's mind pushed its way forward. The symbol on her necklace resembled an "s." Could this be Selendrile's seal?

Narissa watched with satisfaction as she worked this out in her mind. "That's right. That pretty trinket around you neck bears the seal of a dragon."

The red dragon came closer to Alys, who edged away warily until she backed herself into a wall. Narissa stopped about a foot away from her. She lifted up a hand, and Alys recoiled when she felt her hand lift up the necklace…and abruptly let it drop again. There was a hiss of breath, and then Narissa was clutching her hand as if she'd been burned.

"I forgot," she growled, "a necklace with your friend's seal on it you protect you from danger."  
Another mystery solved. This necklace must be what prevented her from hearing Narissa in her mind It hadn't stopped Renn though, so perhaps it only protected her from people who meant her harm. A smart necklace, though Alys smugly. _Thank you, Selendrile. _

A smile was curling Narissa's lips that made Alys shudder. Something had just come to the red dragon, and whatever it was—Alys could not fathom what—boded ill for her hostage.

"It took me a while to remember this, since red dragons are not allowed their own seal. Oh, this will be delightful…." She was lost in her own devious plans, and Alys could do nothing but wait.

"Your friend Selendrile ought to be dropping by any time now."

Alys, who had been cradling a small rock from the cave floor in her hand, dropped it in surprise. "What?!"

"That's right," said Narissa, her smile widening. "That trinket of yours requires energy to work. Every time it is used, it saps a small amount of Selendrile's strength. Unless he's as dense as I think he must be, to fall in love with a scrawny little thing like you, he will have noticed the pull of energy and will be rushing over here to rescue you.

"Of course," she added as an afterthought, "He would have to be a great simpleton to come her to rescue you in any case. He's taken such pains to avoid me, so why would he come rushing right into my arms just to save _you?_"

"He'll hardly be rushing into your arms," said Alys through gritted teeth.

Narissa pretended she hadn't heard. "In any case, we'll soon have comp—oh good grief, what are _you_ doing here?"

The latter part of her remark was addressed to the sudden gust of wind and the shadow that blocked out the sun for a few seconds. Silhouetted in the cave entrance, nearly black against the sun, was a _third _dragon.

For a wild moment, Alys thought it was Selendrile. But this new dragon was much too small and, as she saw when it landed, fleshy and pink-looking. Of the three dragons Alys had seen so far, this one was the least reptilian; it bore more of a resemblance to a hippopotamus with wings than a dragon. It didn't possess the grace of a dragon, nearly toppling over in its clumsy attempt to land.

"Stupid wings," grumbled a voice that was strangely familiar. "I shouldn't be doing this at my age."

It was the witch! thought Alys, more than mystified by this turn of events.

"Then why did you bother?" asked Narissa disdainfully. Alys was surprised that they seemed to know each other, but then again, why should anything surprise her anymore?

"Oh, I wouldn't have missed this for the world," answered the pink dragon. It was definitely the witch—there was no mistaking that light, mocking tone.

"There's nothing interesting going on. I was just filling my dear guest in, something I'm sure you've done quite a bit of."

"To be sure," said the witch-dragon, grinning toothily.

Alys didn't know what to think anymore. Narissa was the red dragon, the witch was a pink dragon-like beast that could talk in its dragon form, and she was stuck here while they discussed her as if she weren't standing a few feet away. How had her life turned upside-down in such a short time?

"Shame Selendrile hasn't arrived yet. I haven't seen a good dragon fight in years," said the witch.

"I'm afraid you'll have to wait a few more years," said Narissa with a forced smile. "I'm not going to fight the hatchling, if he even shows up at all."

"Oh, he will." Alys was strangely relieved that for once, the witch's grin was not directed at her.

Narissa rolled her eyes. "Of all the self-satisfied, know-it-all half-dragons who might have taken an interest in my doings, why did it have to be you?"

Half-dragon? This was new to Alys. She had no idea such a thing existed, although it did explain the fleshiness of the witch's hide, and how the witch still had all of her teeth as a human. She had seemed uncommonly active for an old woman. This must be how she got from Griswold to St.-Toby's-by-the-Mountain so quickly, and how she knew all about dragons.

"Just be quiet, half-breed," Narissa added.

"You're just jealous," said the witch, winking at Alys.

"Of you?" Narissa snorted.

"Yes, because even though I'm a shriveled old hag, I'm still better-looking than you!" she cackled, tears of mirth running down her cheeks.

Even Alys had to smile. She had to admit that, for all her odd and sometimes eerie ways, the old witch had more fun just being alive than anybody Alys had ever known. She got to say whatever she wanted, not caring what other people thought of her and even enjoying their flinches and scared looks. Now that she thought about it, the witch wasn't really that alarming. She liked to frighten people a little sometimes, but she didn't mean any harm. How was it any more alarming than telling scary stories to frighten children?

Besides, Alys had to admit it was funny to watch Narissa be at the losing end of a verbal sparring match for once. The red dragon had seemed so fearsome and deadly before, but she seemed more like an ordinary person in the presence of the witch.

"Why don't you go on back to what you were doing before I got here?"

"Before you barged in, you mean?"

"Whatever you wish to call it."

Narissa forced a smile. "Nothing at all of interest was going on, I assure you. I was just informing my guest of how the rest of her life is going to be." She glared at Alys and the witch in turn, daring them to interrupt her.

"As I was _saying, _you, Alys, will remain with me so I can study you. You will entertain me when I require it, and in return I will feed and clothe you. Is that not a generous offer?"

Alys ground her teeth, biting back a furious retort. Dying a quick and painless death just hadto be better than living with the red dragon as her _pet! _A generous offer indeed. If she hadn't known that Narissa could kill her with about as much effort as it would take Alys to lift her little finger, she would have burst into an angry tirade against this arrogant, self-centered creature that needed nothing more than a good slapping. As if Alys had nothing better to do with her life than cater to Narissa's needs!

Either fate enjoyed making a fool out of her, or it was simply bad luck, but at that moment her stomach rumbled—loudly. Both the witch and the red dragon stared at her. Alys was unsurprised when the witch sniggered.

"It seems you're hungry, my girl," said the witch. "Luckily for you, I brought some sustenance. I thought this air-headed imbecile of a dragon might forget that you're human."

"So you came here to watch me die, or at least lose my life to this dragon, and you brought lunch?" said Alys, bemused.

"Well, there's no sense in dying on an empty stomach, is there now?"

Though Alys had to shake her head at the strange logic, she smiled and gratefully accepted the food that the witch had brought. And so it came that one dragon, a half-dragon and a human waited for the third—and, Alys hoped, last—dragon to appear.

_I hope you're not too disappointed about the red dragon. I guess my trap was tricking you into thinking that I'd laid a trap. ^^ Anyway, I hope you liked it. I certainly did!_


	11. Chapter 11: Turning the Tables

_Hey guys! I'm SO SORRY for the long wait. I've been kind of busy lately, what with moving across the Atlantic Ocean and all. Although I technically did have enough time to put this chapter up, since it's been pretty much finished for months now. Anyway, I hope you enjoy it, it ought to be quite a sizzler (I hope)!_

Chapter 11: Turning the Tables

The sun was warm on Alys's back as she sat munching her sandwich at the mouth of the cave, the crisp February air chilling her breath. The witch was keeping up a continual stream of chatter, leaping at the chance to finally speak at great length without interruptions. Alys found her a great comfort, even if it only meant that she didn't have to be alone with the red dragon.

She was no longer as afraid as before. The red dragon had shown that she could be just as petty and silly as any human woman. Despite her supernatural beauty and grace, she was more human than Selendrile, who had hardly shown human feelings as long as Alys had known him. Just now, Narissa was sitting a slight distance away from her and the witch, pretending she didn't know either of them existed. But the occasional looks of irritation whenever the witch laughed, which happened often, gave her away. Alys found it quite funny to watch. She wasn't really listening to the witch, who was describing the townspeople. "Not terribly sociable, are they?" she asked. Alys had the sense not to answer. "Especially that dreadful old man in the bookshop. He didn't used to be so unfriendly, back in the day…."

At this, Alys perked up. The witch knew the man who owned the bookshop? She was going to ask her about it, but the witch had already moved on to the baker. "He's the friendliest one by far, but that's only to distract everyone from how stale his bread is. Nearly cracked my teeth on the stuff."

It was strange hearing her talk so much. _Figures, _thought Alys wryly. _Now that my life is in the hands—or claws—of that awful Narissa, she won't stop talking. But when I was asking important questions? She shut up like a clam. _

Alys glanced up at the sky. Judging by the height of the sun in the sky, it was about an hour before noon, maybe more. Alys found she had trouble telling when a dark shadow obscured the sun. A dragon-shaped shadow.

"Selendrile!" Alys cried out, interrupting the witch in mid-gossip. The old woman looked up at the sky, then resumed talking as if the appearance of the third dragon were as natural as rain falling.

_He came for me, _thought Alys, numb with shock. _He actually came for me…._

For a moment, she wondered if it was all some kind of fluke, if the dragon blocking the sun was really just an oversized cloud. But the sudden gust of wind that could only come from dragon wings convinced her otherwise. She felt elated, as if nothing could possibly go wrong anymore.

Then, of course, she realized it was ridiculous. Narissa was twice as dangerous as Selendrile, so there was little or no chance for Alys to escape. _Still, _she thought happily, _he came for me. _Selendrile was willing to risk encountering a dragon he freely admitted he didn't have a chance in a million against. He cared about her enough to face his fears even though it might all come to nothing. And despite having nothing more to look forward to a life of catering to the selfish red dragon's needs, Alys suddenly felt that it was much more bearable. There was a warm feeling in the pit of her stomach that no number of red dragons could take away from her.

The gold dragon circled lower and lower around the entrance of the cave, finally landing a few yards away from Alys. His golden scales sparkled so brightly in the bright sunlight that it almost hurt to watch.

Alys wanted to rush over and hug him, but knew this probably wasn't the wisest thing to do at that point. Still, the simple knowledge that he had come for her was enough to convince her that, somehow, things would turn out just fine. Selendrile probably would have disagreed, but then again, when had the two of them ever agreed on anything?

He glanced at her to ascertain that she was alright, and then turned his attention on Narissa, who had finally gotten up and was looking at him with an expression of satisfaction.

"As much as I hate to agree with the half-breed over there, dear Selendrile, I thought you might come," she said by way of greeting.

Alys watched as Selendrile's eyes narrowed. Here, Alys discovered that the dragon book hadn't been completely accurate about dragon telepathy. She guessed that they must have some way of speaking to each other before they came of age, because Narissa laughed as if in response to what he was saying.

"Oh, but I couldn't possibly do that."

Again, there was a wordless remark from Selendrile, and Narissa answered out loud. "I don't intend to hurt the child, of course. She's much too interesting to kill just yet."

Alys shuddered, wondering what would happen when she stopped being interesting.

Narissa by this time had begun to move closer to Selendrile, and was eyeing him appreciatively. "My dear Selendrile, I know you think you have the, er, how did you put it? 'Prior claim,' I suppose, but since when have I followed dragon laws? Speaking of which, you're trespassing, and by law I have the right to kill you."

Selendrile didn't even blink, and a moment later Narissa laughed again. Alys wanted to strangle her. "Clever. I do believe you would make just as interesting a companion as Alys," she said. Bile rose in Alys's throat at the thought. "You're right, of course. Technically, I forfeit my territory rights along with everything else. However, the territory law was _not _one of the laws implemented by the Council—feeble-minded old fools that they are—and so it still applies to me." There was a strange smile on her face. Alys was beginning to see what Selendrile had meant when he'd said that red dragons had strange hobbies.

"Ah, but it would be such a waste to kill one so young, don't you think?" She was now close enough to touch Selendrile, which she did, reaching out her hand and stroking his scales. He went rigid, and Alys noted to her satisfaction that he seemed to want nothing better than for her to take her hand away.

Narissa laughed—was that the only thing she could do?—and removed her hand, though her eyes lingered on Selendrile's bright scales.

Selendrile made a step in Alys's direction. In the blink of an eye, Narissa had transformed into a magnificent red dragon and was looming ominously over him. She let out a roar that shook the cave walls; Alys could hear small rocks loosening themselves from the walls and pattering to the ground.

Selendrile stepped back, slightly cowed. But there was a defiant look on his face that he must have learned from her, because it certainly wasn't a dragonish expression.

Alys saw to her dismay that any thought of escape was pointless. Narissa was at least twice as big as Selendrile, on his own taller than a house. The red dragon seemed only too aware of her advantage.

As quickly as the red dragon had appeared, she vanished again, and there was only Narissa, the beautiful human.

"That'll teach you to disobey me," she said. Alys, who only just noticed she'd been trembling, resolved to hate Narissa just a little bit more.

"You're nothing but a bully!" she burst out.

Everyone turned to stare at her, stunned faces all around. Alys herself was shocked at her own daring.

"Do shut up, child," said Narissa irritably. "I'm trying to decide what to do with our little friend here."

Alys glowered, but didn't dignify it with a response.

"Did you hear me?" said Narissa, growing impatient.

"Yes, I heard you, you foul creature," said Alys.

There was a shocked silence as four pairs of ears tried to take in what she had just said. Alys was amazed at her own daring.

"Excuse me?!" exclaimed Narissa.

"You're nothing but a spoiled child, keeping us under your eye like fascinating little toys! You have no right to frighten people like that, to play with their lives as if it were all a big game."

Narissa stared at her in frozen fury. Clearly, she had little experience being refused.

Without warning, she walked up to Alys and slapped her so hard in the face that she stumbled to the ground.

In a flash, Selendrile flew at Narissa, but she switched to dragon form before he even got close. He dove at her throat, but she was too quick for him. Her tail lashed out and smacked him in the face, winding him, and he staggered back.

So began the deadliest and most beautiful thing Alys had ever witnessed. The two dragons took to the air, assailing each other with a grace and agility that was in their very core. They moved so swiftly that Alys could barely follow the movements with her eyes.

Narissa and Selendrile moved in a deadly dance. If she looked closely, Alys could see the differences between them—Selendrile was a golden mass of fury, attacking with force and precision. But Narissa, even though she was faster and more agile than Selendrile, gave the impression that she was merely toying with him. Alys immediately recognized the truth in this, for Narissa had hundreds of years worth of experience that Selendrile did not, and was moreover bigger, faster, and stronger than he. In other words, the golden dragon was doomed.

Alys cried out in anguish at the futility of the situation and her own helplessness. What could she do but watch what was sure to turn into Selendrile's funeral? She hid her face in her hands, unable to watch any longer, but a moment later was peeking through her fingers. If she had had any attention to spare, she might have noticed that the witch was enjoying the spectacle immensely.

Never in her life had Alys felt fear so acutely, not even when her own life was in danger. That was when she discovered an immortal truth: being afraid for a loved one is ten times worse than fearing for yourself. Because if you lose someone, you have to live with their death every single day of your life.

"Stop it, stop it!" she screamed at the dragons. They were too far away to hear her, and they were so absorbed in attacking each other that they wouldn't have noticed anyway.

Miles above her, the dragons were locked in a battle that grew steadily more dangerous. Selendrile was getting increasingly frustrated, while Narissa radiated smugness. She knew she was going to win, and she was enjoying drawing out the scene.

Selendrile lunged and dodged, struck ad swerved. His reptilian reflexes were lightning fast, his movements almost a blur. Alys watched with bated breath as the two dragons snapped and kicked at each other. Once, Selendrile looked like he'd been hit and he dropped a few feet. But it was a feint: a moment later he used his advantage to kick the red dragon on her soft underbelly. Narissa roared and attacked with renewed vigor. The blow didn't seem to have fazed her.

Alys was too new to dragon fights and to far away to understand much of what the two dragons were doing, but the witch knew a few things about the matter. She gave Alys a play-by-play that was completely lost on her. Alys kept hearing phrases like "Persian Plunge," "Saint George Slip," but she had no attention to spare.

Finally, the red dragon seemed to grow tired of her game. Where before, the two dragons had only nipped at each other—Selendrile because he wasn't fast enough, Narissa because she was holding back—, the red dragon now succeeded in gashing Selendrile's left hind leg with her tail. The gold dragon dropped a few feet, winded. To her horror, Alys saw a glitter of red on his leg.

The fight would not last much longer now. Alys didn't know how deep the damage was, but Selendrile was definitely moving much slower than before. Narissa was able to kick him and bite him more easily than before, and she did so with renewed energy.

The battle ended when the red dragon tore at the other's neck. Selendrile roared in pain and began to drop hundreds of feet to the ground. He managed to catch himself before he was dashed to the ground, but the force of the impact made the earth tremble.

Alys ran over to him as fast as her legs could carry her, ignoring the red dragon swooping above her head. Selendrile was alive, thank goodness, but badly hurt. Neither wound was very deep, but if he didn't get some help soon, he was going to bleed to death. Alys wanted to break down sobbing, but wouldn't give Narissa the satisfaction. Besides, crying would accomplish nothing.

Narissa landed a few yards away, a look of triumph on her face. She transformed back into a human and walked, bold as you please, over to Alys.

"You see, silly girl, what happens when you get in my way? Your beloved Selendrile is dying, and there's nothing you can do about it. All that effort _wasted._"

"We'll see about that," said Alys, knowing the red dragon was right and hating her for it.

Narissa laughed. "Leave the poor dragon alone, child, and let him die in peace."

Alys grinded her teeth, not wanting to burst out into an angry tirade at Selendrile's attacker—she refused to think "murderer" when there was still a chance to save him.

Even though most of her focus was on Selendrile, she did happen to glance over at the witch, who had been silent for quite a while. To her consternation, she saw that the witch was smiling. This was going too far. Maybe she found it funny that she'd been right about the dragon fight, but did she have to look so smug? Selendrile was dying, and that horrible old biddy didn't do anything but smirk.

Biting back tears of rage, she sat down beside Selendrile's massive head. The golden dragon's gaze was fixed on her. She could see that, if she'd been able to understand him, he would have volumes to say to her. But he wouldn't be able to speak until nightfall, by which time he might already be dead. "Oh, Selendrile!" cried Alys miserably. "Why did you have to come after me?"

Not wanting to have to just sit there and wait as life trickled out of Selendrile, she turned around and focused on the witch, fixing her with her fiercest glare. "How can you be so heartless? It's not funny at all!"

The pink hippopotamus's expression turned sympathetic. Alys wondered why she hadn't noticed up until now that the witch could speak while in dragon form. Perhaps it was a benefit of being a half-dragon. "Child," began the witch. But Alys would not be called a child by someone who laughed at the face of one of her loved ones dying.

"Don't call me a child, and don't pretend to care when you don't. This is all your fault. If you had just told me from the start about Narissa—wait a minute…"

A thought flashed across Alys's mind as the witch's pink hippopotamus face looked at her expectantly, glancing every now and then at Narissa, who was basking in the wintery sunlight. And then, curiously, Alys got a similar look on her face.

"Beautiful day, isn't it?" she remarked to the witch.

"Quite," said the witch, nodding.

Alys glanced over at the red dragon. "Shame, though, about Narissa losing that battle."

"I agree."

Narissa gasped in outrage. "Have you two lost your senses? Didn't you just see me beat the scales off your gold dragon?"

Alys turned to her, her strange smile widening. "Yes, I did, Narissa. But you and your kind can never win, not today, not ever. In spite of all your cunning little plans, your clever plots, and your conniving mind, you forgot something."

"And what would that be?" the red dragon sneered.

"You forgot what time it is!"

And then the most extraordinary thing happened. Narissa suddenly seemed to feel very itchy, because she started scratching herself. At first she scratched only a little, but then it was as if she didn't have enough fingers to scratch with. "What is this?!" she screamed. The witch shrugged, but Alys simply stared, fascinated.

The red dragon was glowing red now, and little clouds of steam were rising up from her skin. She let out an earsplitting shriek and made for the shade of the cave, but she was too late. Within seconds her skin caught fire, and she was roasted alive.

Alys's eyes nearly popped out of her skull. By the time the flames died away, there was nothing left of the red dragon except a black scorch mark on the grass. So that was what would have happened to Selendrile if she hadn't gotten the shackle off in time, she thought, eyeing the spot Narissa had just occupied. The red dragon was gone, just as if she had never existed.

_Well! How's that for an exciting chapter! Please forgive me if it's not the climax you wanted--I've never written a story this long, let alone one with so much plot. I'd love your feedback, so please review!_


	12. Author's Note

Dear Readers,

You have been a blessing to this fanfiction author. Thank you for sticking with me all this time!

I know it seems like I've abandoned this story, and I'm sorry. Not updating for months was not my intention, believe me, but I moved this summer and I've been trying to adjust. I have good news, though: I am hard at work at another chapter, which will come out as soon as I can finish it. Until then, please sit tight, and don't forget yours truly!

~Lady Kellyn


	13. Chapter 12: Surprises & Disguises

_Hello my faithful readers! Again, I apologize for taking so long to update. But I hope to make it up to you with this chapter. Also, it's half past one in the morning and I couldn't think of a better chapter title, so if you don't like it, please submit a constructive review!_

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Chapter 12: Surprises, Disguises and Compromises

The bright noon sunlight sparkled against Selendrile's golden scales, heightening the contrast between his scales and the blood that encrusted on them. The golden dragon lay curled up, eyes squeezed tight. That and the stiff way he was holding himself were the only indications that he was in pain.

Time was running out. Alys knew that she had to get him help, and fast. But what could she do other than sit here and let him bleed to death? She was still in disbelief over the red dragon's sudden demise. She couldn't think.

A hand tapped her on the shoulder, and Alys turned her head to see the wrinkled face of the old witch, who had resumed her human form. "We can't stay here," she said, for once not smiling.

"Why not?" said Alys defiantly. There was no way she was leaving Selendrile alone.

"Because he'll die, and so will you. You can't take care of him here, and anyway, you'll starve to death before you can walk all the way back to Quinn. There's no other village for miles and miles—our friend Narissa has seen to that."

Alys accepted this grim piece of news with a nod of her head. She felt numb, incapable even of being scared.

"What can we do?" she half-whispered.

"Selendrile has to fly you back to Quinn while he still has the strength."

Alys stared at her in alarm. "Are you out of your mind? He isn't strong enough to carry me all the way to Quinn. Can't you—?"

She broke off when the old witch shook her head sadly. "I'm sorry, child. I'm barely strong enough to fly myself that entire way. We'd never get off the ground." When Alys made no answer, she gave her shoulder a little squeeze. "It's the only way."

Alys nodded slowly. There really wasn't anything else she could do. Unless….

A speck of blue on Selendrile's great foreleg caught her eye. There, on one of his massive claws, sat a gold ring identical in design to Alys's necklace. What had Narissa said? Her necklace was designed to protect her from harm, and to do so, it sapped energy from Selendrile, who was wearing this ring. They must be connected in some way. Who was to say it wouldn't work both ways?

She began tugging at the ring, which came off easily. The necklace, which was still safely around her neck, went around Selendrile's great foreleg instead. To her astonishment, when she next looked at the ring, it had shrunk to the size of her own finger. She shook her head, almost smiling, and thought that dragons would never cease to amaze her.

She slipped the ring over her middle finger. The effect was immediate; she could feel the energy trickling out of her body so fast that she gasped in surprise. After almost a minute, she was breathing heavily.

"What are you doing, child?" said the old witch with panic in her voice. (in alarm) "Take it off, quick!"

Alys's knees were wobbling, but she gritted her teeth and stuck it out for fifteen more seconds. Then, quick as a flash, she pulled the ring off her finger before her knees buckled under her and she collapsed. As she lay, trembling, on the ground, she couldn't help but wonder what might have happened if the ring had decided to cling to her finger for another few seconds. She had been a hair's breadth away from blacking out, she knew, and unconscious, she couldn't have taken the ring off. She shivered.

It was surprising how much energy it took to be a dragon. Selendrile hadn't exaggerated their differences—she had exhausted most of her strength to help him, but it was like a drop of water on dry ground.

Had there been enough time to notice, she would have seen the golden dragon staring at her. Selendrile wasn't naturally expressive, especially in his dragon shape, but there was no mistaking the wonderment in his eyes.

Once Alys felt strong enough to pick herself up, she removed the necklace from Selendrile's foreleg. She carefully unfastened the clasp and placed the ring on the chain so she wouldn't lose it. Then she walked up to Selendrile again, bending over slightly next to his face so she was looking directly into his amethyst eye.

"I'm guessing I won't have to repeat that for you," she said.

If dragons had been able to roll their eyes, she knew Selendrile would have. As it was, he blinked at her and she smiled. "I thought not. Think you're up to it?"

Selendrile hesitated for a moment, but then blinked again, and then began to get up. It was a slow and laborious process that involved much creaking of joints and worried looks from Alys, but at last he stood, no less magnificent for the bloody wounds on his neck and hind leg.

"Wait," she said, rushing over to her bundle. She was sure she had packed an extra dress; it was time to put it to good use. She ripped the thing into a few long strips, tying them together so they would be long enough to go around a dragon's neck. There was nothing she could do about his leg wound, but at least his neck was taken care of for the moment. She tied the makeshift bandage around Selendrile's thick neck, mourning the loss of the pretty dress but at the same time reprimanding herself for thinking it.

When she was finished, she saw that the witch had resumed her pink dragonish shape.

"You did well, child. Now climb up onto his neck and hold on tight!"

Alys made to protest that she couldn't, not after what happened last time, when she had almost plummeted to her death, but then realized that she had no choice. Selendrile was unsteady, and very likely to make a crash landing—if he carried her in his claws and landed badly, she could be crushed.

Selendrile succeeded at heaving himself into the air after a few false starts. Alys, pack tied to her waist, clung onto Selendrile's neck for dear life. Luckily, Selendrile's scaly neck was so long that she didn't come close to touching his wound.

The ride was even more terrifying than the last time she had attempted to ride on his back. The blood loss was taking its toll on Selendrile, who frequently dropped several feet when a heavy gust of wind came their way. The wind tore at Alys's hair and clothes, and she came very close—too close—to slipping off once. How she did it, she didn't know, but she somehow managed not to scream. The pink dragon was laboring to keep up with them, fleshy wings beating frantically whenever Selendrile lost altitude.

After what felt like years to Alys, who was fighting an urge to be sick, she finally saw a bump in the distance that, when they came closer, turned out to be a group of houses. About a quarter of a mile away, it was clear that Selendrile's strength was spent, and he landed on the ground quite elegantly for someone in danger of bleeding to death. Alys got up, tottering a little from the ride. Selendrile was shivering, and Alys knew she had to act fast.

Praying for the second time in her life that her scant strength would be enough, she ran with all her might toward Quinn. She had caught the town at the perfect time—it was lunchtime, so there was no one in the streets who would have asked her why she was tearing along in that manner. She arrived at the "Dragon's Claw" panting and out of breath. There was a racket coming from the direction of the tavern, which meant that Mother Margaret and Renn must have their hands full sorting out a bar brawl. _Just perfect,_ thought Alys, suppressing a groan. What could possibly have happened to cause a fight at noon?

She stood in the doorway of the tavern unable to believe her eyes. The place was in an uproar: tables were upturned, chairs were knocked over, and there was a mass of men punching each other and throwing empty bottles that landed with a crash and shattered all over the place. At least three men—Alys couldn't see more through the throng—were already unconscious and getting trampled in the fray.

She had to duck when a great tin pitcher came flying her way. Not a minute later, someone slammed into her while making a break for the door. Alys caught herself and the man who, on closer inspection, turned out to be Renn.

"Alys!" he exclaimed, having to shout over the din. "I'm so glad you're all right! Mother Margaret and I were looking all over for you!"

"What?" Alys shouted back.

"I said—"

"Hold on, it's impossible to hear anything in here," she said in a normal voice, grabbing him by the arm and pulling him into the considerably quieter hallway, closing the door behind her.

"What?" said Renn.

"Never mind. Listen, we don't have much time. You have to—"

"Where have you been all day? Mae came to wake you this morning when you were late for breakfast, but you were gone. We were worried sick!"

Alys sighed. She should have known better than to rely on Renn in a crisis. He'd be of no use. She had to find Mother Margaret!

"I can't explain right now. Selendrile's in trouble and he needs help right now. Where's Mother Margaret?"

"She's in there trying to sort out the fight. I was just going to refill this water bucket," he said, indicating the wooden bucket he was holding, "so I could dump water on the men to try and stop this madness."

That made sense, thought Alys. It was what the people in St. Toby's had done when the village boys had too much ale and got rowdy. But would one bucket really work on a whole tavern?

"That doesn't matter right now. I need Mother Margaret! Can't you sort out the fight?"

Renn shook his head. "She's much better at it that than I. Can't I help you with your…friend?"

Alys hesitated. Mother Margaret she would have trusted with the secret of Selendrile's true identity. She seemed discerning enough to listen to reason if Alys explained to her how he'd helped defeat the red dragon. But Renn was a self-proclaimed dragon-hater, even having gone so far as to burn her dragon book. And if she delivered a dying dragon right into his hands…it was the situation with Gower all over again, only much, much worse.

"Can I trust you?" she said, willing him to understand by the look on her face the gravity of the situation.

"Of course," said Renn, beginning to look worried.

"Then grab Mother Margaret's medicine cabinet while I get some old sheets and meet me at the north end of town."

Alys led the way to Selendrile with a look of grim determination on her face. Renn attempted to speak to her a few times, but she brushed him off, saying that he'd understand everything in a minute.

She wasn't sure she was doing a wise thing here. Indeed, she was certain she was doing the worst possible thing, but she had no choice. Selendrile's life was in danger, and she would not allow him to die while she could do something about it.

Much too soon, they could see the glittering golden mound in the distance that was Selendrile.

Renn had come to a stop. Horrified comprehension was dawning on his face. "Alys, is there something you want to tell me?"

Alys took a deep breath. It was now or never. "Remember when we had that fight about my dragon book?"

Renn grimaced. "Vaguely."

"Weeell, as it turns out, I'm not as ignorant about dragons as you had hoped."

"Oh really?" said Renn weakly.

"Yes. That's because my friend Selendrile is one."

"Is a…"

"Dragon."

"Oh." The word came out in a squeak that would, at any other time, have elicited a giggle from Alys.

"It's alright, though. He's friendly."

"Friendly," echoed Renn.

"Well, sort of. He came to rescue me after I was kidnapped by the red dragon last night."

"_You were _WHAT_?_" He was breathing heavily, and there was that panicked look on his face from the other night.

"It's alright, though. She's dead."

Renn seemed unable to muster a response. Rolling her eyes, Alys began to pull him closer towards Selendrile. The witch was still there when they reached him, and had, thankfully, resumed her human form. Alys wasn't sure Renn would be able to take another dragon in one day.

She grabbed the medicine kit from Renn's unresisting hands and proceeded to dab at Selendrile's leg wound to the best of her medicinal knowledge, thanking her lucky stars that she had taken the time to listen to Mother Margaret's explanations of first aid.

"He's not the brightest lad in the world, is he," the old witch remarked, taking one of the sheets and beginning to tear it neatly. Renn, who was staring stupidly at Selendrile's massive form, didn't even appear to have heard her. "Quite useless," she added, shaking her head.

Alys bit back a smile and continued dabbing at Selendrile's wound.

Within half an hour, they had freshly bandaged both of Selendrile's wounds. Alys let out a sigh and sat down next to the golden dragon in relief. Renn seemed to have partially recovered his senses by this time, and was walking in circles around the golden dragon in fear and awe. Selendrile, who hadn't much enjoyed Alys's gentle ministrations, now gave Renn such an annoyed look that he scrambled backwards so fast that he fell on his backside. At this, Alys really did laugh. "Go easy on him," she said, stroking Selendrile's scaly side. "He's only just getting used to the idea of a dragon." Selendrile craned his neck to look at her, inclining his head ever so slightly. Though she couldn't tell exactly what he was saying, she guessed, or at least hoped, it was something along the lines of "thank you for saving my life. Again."

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_Well, that's it for this chapter. There is more coming, don't worry. Please review!_


	14. Chapter 13: The Silent find a Voice

**To my dear, faithful readership:**

**I honestly have no excuse for this delay. All I can say is that life got the better of my for a while. Lethargy is a curse, as is laziness. All I can do is offer up this humble chapter and hope that you like it anyway. In case you've completely forgotten what's been happening, here's a **

**BRIEF SUMMARY OF RECENT EVENTS:**

**_Two chapters ago, the red dragon, which had kidnapped Alys, was killed by the combined efforts of Selendrile and the noon sun. However, Selendrile was gravely wounded in the battle, so Alys had to run back to the town of Quinn to get help. Since Mother Margaret was occupied with a bar brawl that had broken out spontaneously at the tavern, Alys enlisted the help of Renn, the notorious dragon-hater who is in love with her. After tending to Selendrile's wounds, Alys, Renn and Selendrile are all sitting around doing nothing, and the witch (also a half dragon that looks like a pink hippopotamus) is fast asleep._**

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Chapter 13: In which the Silent find a Voice

The small group around Selendrile had been silent for some minutes. Alys was sitting with her back against the golden dragon. The witch had turned back into her dragon shape and was napping, her snores cutting through the air like a knife grating against stone. Renn looked as if he had _turned _to stone. Alys had her doubts that he would ever speak again. Presently, however, he looked up and, making a valiant effort not to let his gaze stray towards Selendrile, said: "I…should probably get back to the inn now. Mother Margaret will be wondering where I am."

Alys nodded regretfully. All of this was probably too much for Renn, who had grown up hating and fearing dragons. She was probably lucky he hadn't started yelling "Witch!" and run away.

Renn hesitated. "I'll go see what I can do to help her—she'll need it after that fight—and then, I don't know," he paused, "maybe I'll come back."

Alys was dumbfounded as she watched him get up and head slowly back in the direction of the town. Maybe she had underestimated him after all.

Hours passed. Dusk began to settle over the motley group, and the air gradually became cooler. Alys, resting comfortably against Selendrile's warm side, didn't notice. Her eyes were closed and she was in a half-doze, not sleeping but not awake. An air of contentment had settled around the three; there seemed no reason for anyone to move until eternity.

Only one thing indicated that the picture was alive. There was a small dot in the distance growing larger and larger until it took the shape of a man weighed down by a large bundle on his back. But Alys didn't notice anything until a shadowy figure stood before her, blocking the last rays of twilight.

She opened her eyes, her gaze settling blearily at the newcomer. For a moment, she simply stared. Then, her brain caught up with her and she jumped to her feet. "You came back!" she exclaimed, beaming at Renn.

The latter couldn't help smiling back at Alys's enthusiasm. "What can I say. . .I couldn't leave you out here all alone. Besides, Mother Margaret thought you might be hungry."

Saying this, he reached behind him and took off what proved to be a truly tremendous pack, filled mostly with two large blankets but also with some sandwiches wrapped in paper. One of these he handed to Alys, who accepted gratefully. "What with everything that's happened, I almost forgot I was hungry," she said, smiling.

The group was wrapped in peaceful silence once again, interrupted only by the sound of the witch's snoring and jaws working at Mother Margaret's cold chicken-and-lettuce sandwiches. Until a particularly loud, rasping snore cut through the air.

"What was _that_?" said Renn. Alys opened her mouth to reply and then closed it again. It hadn't been the witch this time; she felt sure of it. The pink dragon's snoring had developed a certain rhythm that was easy to follow, if grating to the ears. But this last snore had a different resonance.

An idea crossed her mind that she immediately discarded. _Surely it couldn't be…. _But the vibrations settling against her back gave her the confirmation she needed. Without warning, she let out a stifled giggle.

"It's _him!_" she whispered between giggles, gesturing at the sleeping form behind her. "Oh, this is too perfect—wait till he finds out that he snores...I'll never let him live this down!"

Even Renn cracked a smile, though he glanced uneasily at the golden dragon.

Though Alys was sure Selendrile's snoring would continue to be funny for some time, she decided to change the subject out of consideration for her other companion. Besides, there were one or two things she still wanted to know.

"So tell me about this fight back at the inn," she said, forgetting about Selendrile for a moment.

Renn seemed grateful for the distraction. "Oh, that. It was the strangest thing. One minute everyone was eating lunch, like any other day, and the next—it was as if something had snapped. All at once, everybody just got up and started punching each other. It was eerie, the way they all seemed to be thinking the same thing at once. And the atmosphere! It's like everything everyone'd been holding back for years, ever since that—that—"

—dragon came in and ruined our lives, Alys continued mentally when he broke off—

"—_thing _happened, was just let loose. You know, fear, anger, frustration, the works. It was like a dam breaking. Like nothing I've ever experienced," he said, letting out a deep breath.

Alys had the strangest feeling she knew exactly when it had happened.

"And none of them were even_ drinking!_" Renn added. "I mean, it was only just noon, and they had to go back to work. Normal people, doing normal things, and then this. Mother Margaret was still trying to get them to calm down when I got back. We were helpless, really. We let it burn itself out in the end. Didn't seem to be much else to do."

He chewed his sandwich thoughtfully, trying to work things out in his mind. "Eventually, they sort of got tired of it. Went home, just like that."

"Renn, I think I might be able to explain it," said Alys.

Renn looked at her doubtfully.

"I have a hunch that your fight happened at the exact same time the red dragon was killed. From the way you've described it, it sounds as if everyone in town felt it somehow, and suddenly had to get rid of all those emotions that built up over the years. Strange thing, magic. But I think, once they figure out what's happened, or once you tell them," she said, looking at the wide-eyed Renn meaningfully, "things will change in Quinn. I expect they'll start by having a celebration."

Renn was staring at her with a mixture of awe and revulsion. "That's what you think, is it?" he managed, sending a sidelong glance at the golden dragon. "Sounds…logical."

Alys nodded encouragingly, glad he seemed to be making some progress. _Not that useless after all,_ she thought in the direction of the sleeping witch.

Renn and Alys continued talking for some time. It was starting to get cold, so Renn offered Alys a blanket that she decided to sit on, as the ground was rather uncomfortable. But the warmth emanating from Selendrile's side was sufficient to keep her warm through the coldest of nights. Eventually, around the time the moon rose, her eyelids began to flutter. She wasn't exactly sure when, but at some point, she drifted off to sleep.

This left Renn all alone with a girl and two sleeping dragons. Or one dragon and a half-dragon, anyway. Renn wasn't too fussy when it came to carnivorous mythical beings.

All at once, he realized that he was not the only one awake. A prickly feeling at the back of his neck told him he was being watched. His gaze slid around the makeshift campsite but came upon nothing unusual, which did not settle his growing feeling of unease. Finally, he looked at the golden dragon again. And started. One large, catlike eye was fixed unblinkingly on him. _Don't…panic…_he thought to himself, resisting the urge to hide his face in his hands. Alys was _friends _with this thing. Surely that counted for something?

He was quite sure he had no intention of saying anything. What could he have to say to a people-eating lizard, anyway? But the words slipped out in spite of themselves.

"Why'd you do it?" he whispered, bracing himself for a snarl or a flash of teeth that would indicate what this beast thought of his attempts at conversation.

Nothing happened.

_That's right, _he thought. Alys had told him, somewhere in their conversation, that Selendrile couldn't talk in his dragon form, at least not in human language. Something about that made Renn feel just a little smug.

Which would explain his overwhelming urge to bolt for the inn and hide under his bed coves when he heard the dragon speak to him.

Well, not _speak_ to him, per se. The words had seemed to reach his brain without the unnecessary obstacle of his ears. Which was impossible, right?

**Why did I do what, small human?**said the dragon without moving his lips.

Somewhere in the deep abysses of his being, he found a thimbleful of courage that prodded him to speak. "Why'd you go after the red dragon?" he whispered, amazed at his own daring. "Alys told me as much about it as I could listen to. If it hadn't been for that thing with the sun, you could have died. And you knew that all the time, didn't you?"

He watched the golden dragon warily, in case it decided to jump up and rip his face off despite its injuries.

The dragon did not deign to answer him. Then again, Renn, in the dragon's place, would have kept silent as well. To his astonishment, however, after a time the golden dragon did speak again, his penetrating glare fixed on Renn, who would probably never again be this brave in his life.

**Her**, said the dragon, looking away for a second. This suited Renn, whose eyes were beginning to water from the effort of not blinking.

"You mean—" he broke off, with a glance at Alys's sleeping form.

The golden dragon blinked.

"You risked your life…for a human?" he continued, _knowing _that he was digging his own grave with every word he spoke. What was wrong with him?

This time, the golden dragon said nothing at all. It closed its eye, which Renn took as a sign that this conversation was closed.

Renn pondered what he had learned from the dragon. So there were two…people…vying for Alys's heart. This knowledge did not surprise him, Alys being who she was. But that he was competing against a dragon—a _dragon_! It was all too much. It seemed impossible that this thing could actually have feelings for the wonderful person that was Alys, and yet, it made sense. He couldn't explain it. He wondered if the dragon knew that Alys returned its feelings. Probably, if it had taken the trouble to battle a being stronger than itself for her.

Renn sighed, wrapping his blanket more tightly around him. It had been a long, long day.

His thoughts began to drift as he rested his head against his empty pack, which served him as a makeshift pillow. Before long, he, too, was consumed by sleep. That left the small group at peace for the night.

Or did it?

A faint rustling announced the presence of wind, upon which a protective wing was lifted over the sleeping form of Alys. As Selendrile had, correctly, guessed, they were no longer alone. A dark shadow passed over the moon, plunging the four into darkness. Silver scales glittered in the moonlight as eight dragon limbs landed on the ground without a sound. Two dragons, identical in color and size, were illuminated by the moonlight. They were distinguishable only by the way the dragon on the left side held its left foreleg.

Black eyes met amethyst, and there began an exchange that, to an outsider, would have appeared wordless. Nothing but the occasional snort, which had a curious bell-like quality, pointed at any kind of communication.

Finally, the discussion seemed to be complete. A ripple passed through the assembled creatures that words cannot describe, though Alys, who felt it in her dreams, certainly tried.

The silver dragon directed its piercing stare at Selendrile and was met head-on. A sort of staring contest ensued, neither party wavering for a second. At length, both dragons, by some unspoken agreement, inclined their heads, the third dragon looking on with an unreadable expression. Simultaneously, it seemed, the two silver dragons raised their wings, beating at the air until they had gathered enough power to propel themselves from the ground. They departed as noiselessly as they had come, leaving the golden dragon, the witch, and the two humans alone again, as if nothing had ever happened.

Except for a small disturbance involving moles, nothing stirred for the rest of the night.

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**So that was the first chapter since January. Could be better, could be worse. I purposely added a bit of mystery at the end there, so you'll have a reason to read my next chapter, which I'm planning as the last one. Oops! Did I just let that slip? Oh, well. . .as always, I humbly ask you to review this chapter, so I know what you like and what you think I'm doing wrong.**

**Many thanks!  
**


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